Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods
by GKoh
Summary: An ancient evil has awakened and two forces from two different worlds must unite to stop this threat. Riders, Hunters, Let's Ride!
1. Red and Blue

**Red and Blue**

_We have our stories. We had it ever since we first entered this world. Each story could be the same or something entirely different. The elements that played a part in it; Action, Adventure, Tragedy, Laughter, Heart, and many more could define what your character might be. Every one of these stories have been isolated from one another. However, what would happen if the stories connect?_

* * *

**Music: Red Like Roses by Casey Lee Williams**

The full moon floated above as night time set in and the cold frost intensified at a forest. Patches of ice soon formed around the trees and its branches and the white mist spread all around the area. The forest was silent with the exception of the windy breeze; either meaning the animals are sleeping or there was no life at all. That is until now.

_Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest._

The sound of footsteps mixed in with the sound of the wind. These footsteps belonged to a young girl.

Her red cloak covered her face but her short stature indicated that she was still a child, probably in her early teens. Her attire composed of a black blouse with long sleeves and a black skirt with red color on the edges. She wore a black corset around her abdomen with red laces. Around her waist was a belt with a rose-like emblem and small spikes inserted in the leather. Finally, strapped to her back was a red box-like device.

Whoever she was, she was walking slowly through the snowy forest. There was no fear in her. The feeling of isolation did not intimidate her; not even the sounds of creatures that had now sprang to life. They were stalking her with the intent of killing her.

_White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test._

Meanwhile, another tale was taking place in a different forest. What differentiated it from the snowy forest and possibly other forests was that it was alien in nature. The trees were taller and were covered in strange, green vines that had purple fruits on them. Weird plants grew on the ground below. Mist covered the area just like the one in the snowy forest but due to the bizarreness of this place, it gave this forest a neon-like coating.

Seemingly, no sentient life was present except for this person. He was a male and features could not be told due to him wearing an armor.

His helmet was blue in color with a silver mouthguard, a visor that resembled an orange slice, a sword-like decoration on the forehead and a samurai-esque portion at the back of it.

He wore a blue bodysuit which had quilted leather and his arms and legs wore golden bracers and greaves. Covering them was the armor. The chestplate and shoulder pads were orange with metal studs on the surface and the armor on his back was silver. He was carrying a scimitar, styled after an orange slice on his hand while a black cross-like sword with a gold line on the blade with a trigger under the sword guard was at his waist. His belt was unique. It was black with a padlock in the center and on the side was a picture of himself. On the right side was a sword like handle. The padlock was opened. It showed a picture of the scimitar at the bottom slice.

Like the young girl at the snowy forest, he was walking through this strange forest. He was confident, which allowed him to be not fazed by the stares of monsters that had sensed his presence.

_Black the beast descends from shadows._

The red cloaked girl and the armored man moved forward with the creatures that were after them not far behind. The oddest thing; there was static everywhere, occurring in these two forests and it grew stronger as the stories continued. Those in it were seemingly not aware.

The girl and man finally stopped walking when they entered a clearing. In front of them were the monsters that stalked them. The girl was confronting giant wolves. They stood on bipedal feet, but hunched over. They were covered from head to toe in black fur which was as dark as a starless sky, marked only with bone spikes which emerged from their arms, legs, and back. The only splashes of color on the creatures were their white skull-like caps they wore on their heads, decorated with red markings and they had bright red eyes.

The armored man was facing hunchbacked monsters. The monsters were gray and had flat mask-like faces. There were three types of them. Portions of their chests and legs were colored either red, blue, or green. Their faces were also slightly different. The red ones had sad-looking slit-like eyes, the blue ones' eyes were simple circles, and the green ones had more ornate slits with a circular line on their foreheads. The one thing they all had in common was their deadly large claws.

The monsters circled around their prey who hadn't made their move and remained still. Thus, the beasts took action. Few of them ran straight towards the two. The statics were getting more frequent.

Then, one of them finally moved. The armored warrior readied his scimitar. That only worsened the static that gone back and forth between the two events in a rapid pace. The gray monsters leapt and the warrior charged.

The static continued cycling until it…burst in a flash of light.

_Yellow beauty burns gold._

It ended but something was wrong. The armored warrior was not at the weird forest anymore. He was at the snowy forest. As for the girl, instead of being at the snowy forest, she was at the weird forest.

The gray monsters were heading straight towards her. The time was now she did something. She disappeared in a swish of rose petals and the monsters crashed into one another. Those that did not attack looked up and saw the girl was up in the air. Her cloak blew back, revealing her face. She was petite. Her hair was dark with red streaks and her eyes were pure silver.

As she remained floating in the air, back in the snowy forest, the armored warrior ran towards the charging black wolves that jumped, preparing their teeth and claws.

They were close and the armored warrior slowly sprung his attack at the same time the girl took out her red box that transformed into a rifle. She fired while the armored warrior slashed. Both slew their foes.

When she landed, the other monsters started to attack. The girl leapt over one and blasted from behind. Still in the air, she delivered a dropkick at another before firing point blank range. The recoil sent her back. The gray monsters continued running towards her.

The girl's rifle reassembled itself into a scythe. She rushed towards the monsters and begun a series of slashes. She took out three more, followed by slicing the legs of a fourth one and cutting the arm of a fifth.

A sixth one was about to pounce her but she quickly anticipated it. She spun and hooked its body in the curve of her blade. When the monster growled, she smiled and pulled the trigger that severed the gray monster's body. The girl twirled her scythe and pointed it straight at the horde, as if challenging them.

Back at the snowy forest, the armored man dodged several swipes before slicing the wolf's arm and proceeded to chopped its head off. He turned attention to another wolf and delivered several punches, grabbed it and threw it at one of its pack members.

Two more black wolves attempted to pounce him. He sensed it and took out his cross-like sword to decapitate them. Few wolves converged on him and the warrior, using both swords performed several slashes.

He jumped and used one of the wolf's shoulders like a springboard to get away. He pulled a tab on that was on the sword guard and fired bolts at the beasts. Landing safety on the ground, the warrior combined both ends of his swords together to form what appeared to be a naginata.

Returning to the world with the unknown flora, the girl drove her scythe to the ground and fired at several of the approaching gray monsters.

She pulled her scythe out and ran when some of the monsters took flight and fired pelts at her. She ran while slashing other monsters that got in her way. Nearing a tree, she jumped on the branches and spring vaulted up to fire bolts, taking them out.

She sped away from a swift attack from behind and severed the monster in half. The girl spun her scythe around and took down those that surrounded her. She then cut a few more down and continued to fight on.

The warrior did an aerial slash and delivered a flying kick. He deflected several swipes using his naginata.

The Armored warrior slashed several of the black wolves before thrusting his blade, impaling another one. He forcefully pulled his weapon out, killing the creature.

He pulled out his opened padlock and attached it to the sword guard. The wolves ran as the blade of the warrior was flowed with power. He swung, unleashing a beam of energy at them, trapping them in a field of energy, resembling and colored like an orange. He dashed and struck the field, cutting in half along with the wolves. Then, it exploded.

The girl jumped back from a swipe and she opened her eyes to see more of them were still present. The warrior breathed heavily and looked on and saw there were still more of them.

Seeing them, the two decided to end it. The girl dropped her cartridge from the scythe and insert another one but with a cross symbol on it while the warrior replaced the side with his picture with a black device and then took out another padlock, decorated with a grapefruit that had a clear casing.

As the girl loaded the cartridge in, the warrior attached the other padlock to the black device. Pressing the blade, a voice was heard.

_**"SOIYA!"**_

A bright light was unleashed blinding the black wolves. When they opened their eyes, they were hit by several energy bolts at the same time the red cloaked girl was charged with power.

The warrior unveiled himself, wearing what appeared to be a Jinbaori coat like armor over his samurai form. It was colored orange, patterned with grapefruit slices and marked on the side was an insignia; a sword held within a circle. He also wielded an advanced bow.

The girl blasted off like a rocket taking down many of the gray monsters. The warrior used his bow and fired the energy bolts, eliminating the black wolves.

The battle was getting brutal and the monsters were getting slaughtered. The girl spun and became like a tornado, cutting anything upon contact where body parts flew everywhere. The warrior lighted up the bow and started to mow down the wolves, cutting them as if they were butter.

The girl got faster while the warrior pressed his Cutting Blade, endowing the arrowhead with incredible power.

**VRRROOOSSSHHH!**

They delivered their finishers and the attacks wiped out the last of the monsters. With no more insight, the two relaxed, carrying their weapons over their shoulders.

Cutting it short was the appearance of the static. Once it left again, the two sensed something. They turned around and saw each other. They were still at the forests they fought in but it's as if worlds have connected. The two remained silent and then fade to black.

**Sangokuden x RWBY: HUNT OF THE ARMORED WAR GODS**

**COMING SOON**

**A/N: **_**This is a beginning of wonderful things to come.**__**I want to thank Kamen Rider Chrome for giving me permission to write the story and Buster for editing as well. Please, read and review. Thank you very much.**_


	2. Ruby and Sapphire

**Ruby and Sapphire**

_Everyone is entitled to their own sorrow, for the heart has no metrics or forms of measure. And all of it… irreplaceable._

* * *

**Music: Mirror Mirror by Casey Lee Williams**

As the moon gave off its radiant glow, snow fell from the sky and piled up all over the streets and roofs. It was quiet and not a soul in sight as all had returned to their homes and went to bed to prepare for the next day.

All...except one.

_"Mirror, tell me something. Tell me who's the loneliest of all..."_

A song was heard which echoed across the city. The melody of the song was slow and powerful but at the same time somber and it came from a large medieval castle.

Inside, the decor truly reflected the status of royalty from the vast array of portraits that lined the walls to the expensive chandeliers that hanged from the ceilings.

In a large grand hall, there was a young princess. She was the one who sang that beautiful song. She had pale skin, her hair were as white as the snowflakes and had glassy ice blue eyes. She wore a pale blue jacket over her similarly colored dress and wore high heeled boots. She had a necklace around her neck, a pair of earrings and a tiara. At the side of her waist was a rapier. It was colored silver, the hilt possessed four prolongs encasing a revolver like chamber. The chamber had six slots, each containing a vial of a different color.

She had closed her eyes as she continued to sing. This was her way of expressing how sad she was being alone. Much of her life has been filled with grief and sorrow. Many of her loved ones were gone and those that survived, she was forced to watch them undergoed changes. Changes that she wanted to forget.

As she sang, a large figure stepped out of the shadows. It was a giant armor that looked like one from ancient folklore. It was gray in color and wielded a big broadsword.

* * *

Meanwhile, disaster struck at a city. Fire spread all over the buildings and vehicles and black smoke rose up to the night sky. However, there was one sign of life. At a local cemetery, a warrior was kneeling before a couple of graves.

He was a male and he donned a knight like armor. He had banana-like horns on the sides and a silver helmet over his red and silver suit. He had attachments on his shoulders and they also looked like bananas. The yellow part of the armor covered his chest resembling male muscle pectorals. The man's only weapon was a lance that was white in color with a yellow peel like handguard and a black handle. On his waist was a belt that had a knife like attachment on one side and the other, a picture of himself. Locked on in the middle of the belt was an opened padlock that showed a picture of the man's lance.

Although the fire continued to burn, the man did not respond to it at all. He was too focused on paying his respects. After a short while, he took something from the side of his belt, revealing itself to be a chess piece. This chess piece was a memento of a happier time. A time with him and those he cared about but that ended when tragedy struck and he was now alone.

As the knight was in thought, something was coming out from the fires. It was a 50 foot long serpent with sinister yellow eyes and dark green scales lining its body.

These two events occurred and along with it were static. As the two gargantuas came closer, the princess and the knight finally took action having already noticed their presence. The princess and the knight pulled out their weapons, ready to fight these creatures.

"_Mirror, tell me something. Tell me who's the loneliest of all?"_

The Giant Armor swung its blade. The princess jumped away on time and retaliated. She readied her rapier, dashed with an amazing speed and thrust. The Giant Armor blocked it.

The Giant Armor swung once more but when it was near, the girl disappeared, avoiding the attack. She then reappeared behind the titan and performed a series of slashes. The Giant Armor swung the broadsword and the girl blocked it on time and she was sent across the hall.

After landing safely, she looked up and saw the Giant Armor in the air. She dodged several attacks before being sent flying again. Landed, she made her fingertips to glow white. She motioned to the ground and a white circle appeared below her feet.

"_Fear of what's inside of me. Tell me can a heart be turned to stone?"_

Returning to the burning city, the Serpent had begun its attack by using pounce. The knight jumped out of the way in response. The Serpent slithered and resumed assault. The knight pushed the blade on his belt thrice and stabbed his lance to the ground. Then, banana shaped projections burst out of the ground, forming together like a wall which the Serpent hit on impact, stunning it.

The knight leapt and landed a hit on the Serpent. When the Serpent recovered, the knight twirled his weapon to confuse his attacker. The beast struck several times and the man in red dodged them. When it struck again, the knight dodged it and stabbed at the Serpent's eye in the process.

The Serpent roared in pain and retaliated with a tail swipe, smacking away the small enemy. The knight crashed to the ground. He recovered quickly and took out a padlock that had a mango for a design. He attached it to his belt and pressed the blade.

The knight transformed. Wearing a new bulkier red armor and brandishing a spiked mace, the knight roared and charged at the Serpent. The Serpent hissed and swung its tail. The knight clashed the tail with his mace.

He noticed on time as the Serpent attacked while opening its mouth. He grabbed it on time and the two battled in a competition of strength. With sheer willpower, the knight managed to slam his fist on the top of the reptile's head. He grabbed his mace and smacked the Serpent with it.

Backing away and gaining distance, the knight gripped his mace as the Serpent lunged at him. Spinning on his heel, the knight slammed his mace into the side of the Serpent's head and knocked it aside. The Serpent tried again to bite down on the warrior who managed to duck before he slammed his mace once again in its throat to jolt the head backwards.

The Serpent was disoriented by the blow as the knight's mace glowed. He spun around as yellow energy cubes trailed from his mace's head. He finally swung and fired a giant energy projection shaped like his mace straight at the Serpent as it opened its mouth.

**BOOM!**

The smoke faded and the Serpent was revealed to be unaffected. The only thing the attack did was fueling its anger. It gripped onto the knight in its jaws and then threw him straight into a building. The knight tumbled to the ground before the Serpent gripped him by the leg then drag him across the ground and released him. The knight groaned and gasped as the Serpent's tail came down, crushing him.

* * *

At the castle, somehow the magic circle gave the princess power. She dashed and avoided a swipe. She leapt back and slashed at the Giant Armor's chest. During mid-air, the circle appeared on her feet again and she launched herself, hitting the knees and waist.

She continued hitting the legs, pushing the giant back. Using the magic circle again, she struck up. She boosted forward and landed a few more.

Had enough, the Giant Armor retaliated. As the princess landed on the circle, she saw the Giant Armor swinging its sword. She jumped up but that was a mistake. Vulnerable, she gasped in horror when the Giant Armor swung a brutal, bone crunching punch.

After a loud boom, the princess crashed to the ground hard. For a short while, she laid motionless on the floor and during that time, crimson blood dripped from the left side of her face.

Suddenly, the static reappeared and a bizarre event occurred. Images of the City in Winter and the City in Inferno shifted between one another. Even the Giant Armor and Serpent were not immune to it. Simultaneously, their images overlapped one another as if both were standing at the same spot.

The static grew stronger and more erratic. Reality was seemingly falling apart. With a burst, the static was no more. That was when the bizarre grew even more.

The world was now a mix between two cities. This city was engulfed in a sea of fire while the snow resumed falling from the night skies. At the castle, everything was falling apart. The flames were spreading, portraits turned to ashes and burning debris dropped like flies.

At the Great Hall, the young princess was starting to wake up but she was weak to barely stand. She managed to look up and fear formed on her face.

In front of her was a terrifying sight. It was a monstrosity. It was a green skinned serpent like humanoid with long arms, equipped with sharp claws. The face was horrendous to look at, resembling a man's face covered in boils followed by its soulless yellow eyes. It had no legs but an elongated snake tail. It wore medieval armor and carried a giant broadsword.

This Armored Serpent hissed maliciously at the downed princess. Its only desire is to kill in the most violent way possible.

The princess tried to get up but she was just too weak to stand up. There was no hope. All that's left was death. Fortunately, someone was there to change that. The girl sensed something and looked up to her side and saw a red hand belonging to the knight who had survived the Serpent's attack.

He offered a helping hand and for once, the princess genuinely smiled. She took it and the knight lifted the girl back up. Morale restored, the two stared at their enemy in defiance who roared in rage.

To even the odds, the knight replaced his belt with a new, shiny one. He then took out another padlock that had a clear casing, decorated with a lemon. He attached the padlock with the belt and activated its true power.

In a flash, the knight had changed his appearance again, this time wielding a bow instead of a lance or mace.

The Armored Serpent lunged at them but the two jumped away. It turned around and head straight to the princess and attacked. The girl rotated the revolver in her rapier and it glowed red. She swung her enhanced rapier that effectively deflected the broadsword.

"_Mirror, mirror, what's behind you? Save me from the things I see!"_

Taking advantage of this, the knight used his bow and fired bolts of energy at the behemoth leaving scorches on its armor. The Armored Serpent used a tail swipe. The knight and the princess avoided it while the walls and floors were not fortunate, having been blown to bits upon contact by the deadly whip.

"_I can keep it from the world. Why won't you let me hide from me?"_

The girl rotated her rapier's revolver chamber once more, making the weapon glowed blue as the tail was getting near to her. She stabbed the blade into the ground, unleashing a wave of ice and the tail was caught in it. The reptilian creature swung its sword. The princess leapt back and the knight came in, jumped and landed perfectly on the sword. He ran up, leapt and swung his bow at the monster's face. Leaving several marks, the serpent roared in pain. Landing safely, the knight and the princess fired a combined attack that froze parts of the Armored Serpent's body.

After turning her rapier to glow green, the princess dashed and thrusted it at the serpent's chest. The blade fired a huge burst of wind that sent the giant flying. Crashing into several walls, it was blasted from the castle and was now outside.

The knight and the princess exited out of the burning castle. Outside, there was no trace of the Armored Serpent.

Suddenly, the Armored Serpent revealed itself, bursting out of the ground and the duo avoided it on time before it dug into the ground again. Knowing what to do, the knight stood still, waiting for the monster to come back to the surface. It finally did and attacked the "unsuspecting" knight from behind.

The trap was sprung. The knight without looking back, turned his bow and fired from behind. The surprised monster was hit and stunned.

"_Mirror, mirror, tell me something. Who's the loneliest of all?"_

The beast was left to be slashed repeatedly from both sides by the knight and the princess. The knight then pressed the lever on his belt. He swung his bow and fired an energy strike.

With the monster downed, it fell on top of a magic circle which the girl had summoned. She caused the circle to explode, launching the Armored Serpent up in the air. The princess fired several beams, locking the reptile in mid-air as the knight prepared his finisher.

He aimed and pulled the string of the bow, forming lemon slice projections between him and his target. He fired, shooting an arrow that transformed into an energy version of his lance. It pierced the Armored Serpent through the chest and it died in a huge explosion.

"_I'm the loneliest of all."_

The Armored Serpent has been defeated. With that, the young princess and the knight looked at one another. The knight walked towards her and bowed before her. She nodded back, acknowledging him. The two remained where they were as fire and ice continued to co-exist.

**Sangokuden x RWBY: HUNT OF THE ARMORED WAR GODS**

**COMING SOON**

**Note:**_** Having Weiss and Baron together was incredibly fitting. One, they have the medieval theme going on and two, they're 'kinda' a handful to work alongside with. As for the Giant Serpent, it's appearance is based on the Basilisk from Harry Potter. Also, snakes in some folklore represents corruption which is interesting given what happened in Mitsuki's past that was revealed in Destiny of the Armored War Gods. Please, read and review. Thank you very much.**_


	3. Black and White

**Black and White**

_Your hopes have become my burden. I will find my own liberation..._

* * *

**Music: From Shadows by Casey Lee Williams**

It was a peaceful time at the forest. The trees flourished the land and the mountains remained strong and tall. The animals were having a joyous time with the deers happily grazing and the birds sang in harmony.

The wind arrived and began to blow away the piles of leaves that had fallen from their branches. As it happened, a young woman watched them from the ground.

She was a girl of pale complexion with long, wavy black hair and her eyes were as bright as amber. She wore a black scarf around her neck, black ribbons wrapped around her arms and a black buttoned vest with coattails worn over a white, sleeveless undershirt. She had white shorts which had dark stockings covering her legs and black low heeled boots. Behind her back, latched onto it was a gray cleaver that had a sharp edge. And lastly, on top of her head was an abnormally large black bow.

The girl looked at the leaves that flew above. The leaves soared through the air, going higher as the wind blew harder. An entertaining sight indeed that relaxed her but unfortunately, this was not the reason she was here. She was on a mission.

A few days ago, a private investigator came to her requiring her help in a case. She was hesitant at first but the investigator managed to change her mind when he presented the pictures to her. Whatever was on those pictures ultimately convinced her to assist.

Subsequently, the investigator explained the mission to her. Using a map, he marked out different locations. Each of those locations contained a specific item that was of great value. The mission was to infiltrate, obtain the items and bring them to a secret rendezvous point where the investigator will collect them.

The girl was ready to take on this task but the investigator informed her that the places the items were kept were heavily guarded. She could not do this alone which was why the investigator brought in one more member to be her partner.

The girl refused upon hearing it. She had experience with a partner and it was not a good one. The investigator however persuaded her to let this other person helped her. Lives were at stake and whatever feelings she had, she needed to put that aside just for this. After she thought long and hard, she reluctantly agreed and welcomed her new partner who called himself Zangetsu.

Together, they carried out the mission. It was intense and dangerous but they pulled through. They had all of the items in their possession except one.

According to the investigator that due to the recent thefts, the last remaining item was to be relocated to another location. Fortunately, the investigator had gotten a tip that the item was being transported in a black train and will be passing through this forest.

That was why they were here. Zangetsu volunteered to scout ahead to confirm its arrival while Blake waited. A while later, he returned.

Zangetsu wore a white bodysuit. Over the suit was a kind of samurai armor composed of golden gauntlets and greaves, the front plating was mainly green with gold accents and had spiked shoulders. His helmet had large green eyes, a silver mouthplate and a golden crescent moon on the forehead. The back of the samurai helmet had the appearance of a melon's skin, gold sidings and what appeared to be a melon stem. His belt was unique. Apart from his golden strap, on one side, there was a knife attachment and the other, his picture and in the middle, was an opened padlock. The samurai had two weapons: a black cross-like sword with a gold line on the blade with a trigger under the sword guard and a large shield with a golden center ending in a crescent moon with gold sidings and a round disk on the top. The rest was covered in the same textured green as the armor the samurai wore.

Zangetsu approached the girl and said, "Blake, it's time."

The girl named Blake ceased what she was doing to look at him and replied, "Okay."

She got up and the two dashed away.

* * *

After a few minutes of running, they arrived and stopped on top of a hill. They then heard a roaring sound from the distance and turned to the source. Not far from where they were, they saw their target fast approaching.

Zangetsu told Blake, "Be ready."

"Got it," she nodded.

The black train rushed through the forest in great speed. When it was near the cliffs, Zangetsu and Blake made their move.

The two slid down the hill, leapt high and landed on top of the speeding train. After jumping over a few boxcars, Blake sliced a lock of a roof hatch and both boarded the train.

It wasn't long upon boarding that they found themselves surrounded by the train's security forces. There were two groups. The first ones had spiky armor looking like foot soldiers. Black in color, silver headbands, and wide yellow visors. They wielded spears and had belts just like Zangetsu's but there were no pictures of themselves on the sides and had silver belt straps rather than the samurai's golden strap.

The others wore uniforms consisted of white tunics over black bodysuits with black hoods and masks. They wore black boots to cover their feet. The masks had four red slits over the eyes and looked menacing. The most unique feature about this group was that they either had horns or tails.

Zangetsu and Blake were back to back. Despite the odds, they remained perfectly calm. They looked at one another and nodded. The white warrior brandished his shield and sword and rushed at the enemy fighters. He slashed at a couple of the hooded men from behind before doing a spin kick that hit a third hooded man.

_From shadows, we'll descend upon the world, take back what you stole._

The black armored soldiers ran to the girl who grasped her sharp cleaver. When they were near, she responded by leaping towards them, strangely leaving images of herself, and took them down with her weapon.

The samurai pulled the hammer on his sword and fired several shots at the soldiers. The girl dashed and knocked out a few of the hooded men who were about to attack the samurai from behind.

Together, the pair slashed seven of their opponents targeting either the chest, legs, or arms. The samurai threw his shield, knocking out one of the soldiers. The shield then bounced around the room, hitting three more soldiers before returning to its master.

Zangetsu and Blake jumped out of the way, avoiding a hit from a chainsaw belonging to the leader of the hooded men.

_From shadows, we'll reclaim our destiny, set our future free._

Three hooded men took out their guns and started firing. Blake intercepted them while Zangetsu handled the masked man. She scaled along the walls, avoiding the deadly bullets. As she did, she unsheathed her weapon, revealing her katana. She jumped down and sliced one of the hooded men's gun before kicking him in the gut. She headed for the other two, defeating those that got in her way. She was near and hit the two hooded men at their vital parts.

After dodging several swipes from the chainsaw wielder, Zangetsu administered a palm strike and followed up by smacking the leader around with his shield.

Gaining some distance, Zangetsu used the opportunity to take out another padlock, one that looked like a watermelon. He dodged and kicked. He replaced the old padlock with the new one. Dodged again and backhanded the enemy. The samurai pressed the knife attachment.

_And we'll rise, and we'll rise._

The leader shook off the dizziness and was about to resume only to see a mini gun barrel close to his face.

**BOOM!**

Then out came the explosion and Blake and Zangetsu entered the flatcar. More enemies arrived. Zangetsu took aim and fired, mowing them down.

_Above the darkness and the shame, above the torture and the pain._

Blake began beating up a few stragglers. After attaching a ribbon to her _katana_, the blade converted itself into a pistol. She threw it and the weapon automatically fired, shooting past one soldier.

When she pulled the ribbon back, it pressed the trigger, firing the weapon, launching it back towards its user, hitting the soldier in the process.

_Above the ridicule and hate, above the binding of our fate._

The girl jumped and twirled, swinging her gun around. Those who got close to her received painful cuts across their bodies. Some even went flying up into the air only to face with more slashes as they came down.

The danger began to escalate further. The pair heard an unusual noise and turned around to see more black armored soldiers heading towards them, riding on flying motorcycle like vehicles.

The black soldiers flew to Zangetsu and circled around him. The soldiers had the green and white samurai locked on and they unleashed their lasers on him. Zangetsu raised his shield to defend himself, deflecting much of the attack. He opened fire only to return to defense when they resumed firing.

Three of the black armored soldiers separated from the others and decided to choose Blake as an easier target. They steered their hover bikes towards her. Blake ran with the lasers not far behind. Thinking quickly, she jumped towards a nearby cargo, using it as protection. When the soldiers flew past her, the girl hurled her weapon at one of the vehicles.

The bladed portion of the pistol hit the side of one of the soldiers' flying vehicles, latching onto it in the process. With the ribbon tied around it, this allowed the girl to be lifted off the train.

The black soldier felt a bump. Before he could take action, the 'stowaway' threw him off his flying bike. Now taking control of the vehicle, the girl opened fire on the remaining riders.

The soldiers were caught by surprise when lasers hit their vehicles. Few spiralled out of control until they strayed away from the train and crashed hard to the ground and exploded.

With them distracted, Zangetsu fired once more and the barrage of bullets shredded either the vehicles or the soldiers riding them.

Having dealt with the last one, Blake jumped off from her vehicle and reunited with her partner. The vehicle she had converted itself, getting smaller until it transformed into a small padlock. She grabbed it and put it in her pocket. With that, they continued the mission.

* * *

Blake and Zangetsu, the latter returned to his first form entered the next boxcar. From what they could see, much of the interior was shrouded in darkness. The only light illuminated at the center of the boxcar and under the light was the item they seek.

They sensed no traps around but even so, they needed to be very cautious. Zangetsu covered Blake while she handled the item.

Nothing yet happened when she was near. After that, she took it and put the item inside a pouch, "It's done, let's head to the rendezvous point."

The samurai nodded. Just as they were about to leave...

"Blake." Suddenly, they heard a voice with Blake being the most surprised at the voice that called out her name.

Then, lights lit up the entire room, revealing they were not alone inside. Standing in front of them were two figures. A tall brown haired man, wearing a pure black trench coat with a red and white design on the left, long black pants and black shoes. He wore a mask on his face with red flame symbols decorated on the front. The man had a long sword which for now was sheathed.

The other beside the man was a creature. While humanoid in appearance, but that was only in its general shape. Beyond that, it was completely inhuman. Its hide resembled organic plated armor with spots in a distinctive pattern. It had a head that resembled a leopard with its jaw open to reveal a human-like mouth between the jaws. It had wild long white hair that trailed down its back. Its legs were double-jointed and its fingertips ended in claws. Finally, as an accessory, it wore a leopard skull that was mounted on its right shoulder.

Out of the two enemies, Blake stared solely at the male in the trench coat.

"Adam," she whispered. She knew the man named Adam. Long ago, Adam was once a mentor and partner to her but that all changed when the time came to pick a side. Blake chose one path while Adam chose another. They parted on bitter terms and they haven't seen each other for a long time until now. It seemed destiny has brought them back to a somewhat similar situation, only this time, they were at opposing sides.

Adam started the battle. He pressed a trigger on his _sheath_ and his sword was blasted out. Zangetsu blocked the attack with his shield and the weapon bounced back to Adam. He seized the sword and attacked.

_Born with no life, into subjugation, treated like a worthless animal._

While Zangetsu took on Adam, Blake fought against the Leopard creature.

Blake avoided a pounce from the monster. Blake fired her gun at it. The bullets had no effect on the Leopard who shrugged them off. It casually backed away to the walls and disappeared.

Blake was surprised by this new development. She looked around and finally sensed something. She jumped away on time, avoiding a thrown scimitar.

The Leopard then reappeared, grabbed its weapon from the ground and resumed the fight.

_Stripped of all rights, just a lesser being, crushed by cruel ruthless Human rule._

Blake charged right in. She avoided a few swipes and proceeded to slash at the Leopard. The Leopard was not affected. It swung its weapon but Blake somersaulted away.

Dodging another swipe, Blake slammed her leg on the Leopard's head. However, the Leopard smirked at this. It quickly grabbed Blake's leg and smashed her against the floor a few times before flinging her into the air and punched her across the room.

_When it started, all we wanted was a chance to live our lives, now in darkness._

Meanwhile, the two sword wielders' blades clashed against one another and small sparks flew out of them showing how much power was applied to them.

Adam changed tactics. He aimed his sheath which had now turned into a rifle and fired bullets out of them. The samurai avoided them. His opponent attacked but Zangetsu used his shield on time. The samurai blocked it and pushed Adam back.

Out of nowhere, the Leopard clawed Zangetsu from behind. The armored man growled in pain. Adam took advantage of this to shoot him in the stomach.

Adam slashed his opponent, prompting the warrior to raise his shield. This left him wide open to receive an attack from the Leopard as it lunged at him and knocked him aside. Zangetsu recovered and raised his sword to parry another blow, but it was knocked out of his grip before Adam landed a powerful kick to his stomach, sending him reeling back to Blake who was unconscious on the floor.

_Taking everything we want and we will rise, we'll rise, we'll rise._

Seeing his opponents down, the Leopard growled sinisterly. Adam saw this and stepped back, knowing what was going to happen. The Leopard reared its head back. As it did, its entire body began to glow. At the sight of this, Zangetsu hit the blade on his belt three times. When he did, the shield glowed.

He raised his glowing shield as the Leopard unleashed a powerful roar. The monster's attack struck the shield but it held while ripples of sound waves could be seen. The surrounding area, however, was taking damage.

The roar was getting louder and louder until everything was consumed in light and…

**BOOM!**

...exploded.

As the smoke began to clear, Blake started to wake up. She touched her head to steady herself. When her vision got clearer, she stared at what was in front of her. The flatbed was still intact but much of the boxcar was blown to pieces. She continued looking until she gasped as she saw her weakened partner.

"Zangetsu!" Blake shouted.

The smoke faded away. When it did, revealed Adam and the Leopard, completely unharmed.

Zangetsu grimaced. He and Blake were outmatched. There was only one way now.

"Run," Zangetsu ordered with Blake loss for words upon hearing that.

Blake understood the situation. Continued fighting them was pointless. She must take the item away or the mission will be a failure. But...could she? Could she just leave her partner at the mercy of her former partner?

Zangetsu yelled, "Run, NOW!"

Remaining still for a while, Blake closed her eyes. She stood up and ran. She jumped off the train, threw her weapon that caught a branch and disappeared. Blake was gone. Adam saw this and his response was a rageful hiss.

"Looks like Blake abandoned you like she did with me," Adam taunted.

Zangetsu frowned as he climbed to his feet and prepared to fight. Adam and the Leopard did not let him have the chance. Both overwhelmed him with slashes that went across his body. Then, the Leopard's swipe sent Zangetsu flying and crashed on the cold metal flooring.

Adam strode over, drew his sword and raised it, "You will burn in Hell."

Before he could strike, he stopped midway as he along with the Leopard heard a noise. Up at the sky, one of the flying bikes was heading towards them.

All of a sudden, the bike fired its lasers. They jumped back but as they were distracted, the flying vehicle sped towards them. Adam opened his eyes and saw who was driving.

It was Blake.

When her hover bike was near, Blake leapt off the vehicle. Adam jumped out of the way leaving his partner, the Leopard to be the target of the unmanned vehicle that slammed against it and rocketed the monster back into the previous boxcar.

Blake went to Zangetsu and tended to him. After confirming that he was okay, she then focused on Adam, who was very not pleased.

Thinking quickly, she grabbed Zangetsu's shield and threw it at Adam. Adam tilted to the side, avoiding it. Adam readied his blade, unaware that the shield was coming back.

In an instant, the shield hit Adam from behind. Blake attacked the stunned Adam. She punched him followed by an uppercut. As Adam stumbled back, Blake jumped and delivered a powerful kick, sending Adam back to the other boxcar.

The black haired teen headed straight to the rolling coupling. Without hesitation, she used her sheath to make a swift cut, disconnecting the train cars as a result. As the train cars separated, Blake watched as they went further away, separated from the main engine.

Sadly, the danger was not over when a roar was heard. Eyes wide, Blake spotted the Leopard making a giant leap towards the moving train. The monster miraculously cleared the distance and landed on the still moving train, grabbing hold of the boxcar with its claws before climbing its way up. Once it got its feet settled, it turned its glare towards Blake and snarled.

Having regained enough strength, Zangetsu assisted Blake. He blocked a blow that was meant for Blake and swung back.

Blake and Zangetsu struck multiple times but the Leopard parried their blows. It counterattacked with an array of kicks putting them on the defensive. Soon, it broke through their defenses and they rolled to the floor. The Leopard brandished its claws wickedly. The beast was going to take its time, tearing them apart.

"None of this is working," Blake panted, "Any ideas?"

Zangetsu replied, "Just one."

He unveiled two objects. One was a belt that looked gleaming and sleek. The other, a padlock like the one he was using except it had a clear casing.

Seeing them, Blake understood, "I'll buy you some time but hurry!"

Blake confronted the Leopard, serving as a distraction. While she kept the Leopard occupied, the samurai switched his current belt with the new one. The belt latched around his waist, he put the padlock in and activated it.

The Leopard stopped and covered its eyes as a bright light blinded it. The light soon dimmed down allowing the Leopard to see what has happened.

The white warrior has changed his appearance again, this time looking like a White Devil. His sword and shield were gone, replaced by a high-tech bow.

Blake glanced over her shoulder to see the newly transformed Zangetsu and gave a small smirk. The Leopard gritted its teeth and raised its claws at Blake.

Zangetsu didn't allowed that as he took aim and fired a shot, an arrow made of pure energy which left a spiralling trail as it cut through the air. Blake rolled away and the arrow hit the Leopard forcing it back.

Blake leapt over the Leopard, swinging her bladed pistol. This time, the blade did damage on the monster. After Zangetsu fired a few more arrows, Blake used an upper kick that hit the Leopard in the chin.

Zangetsu stopped firing and decided to head in. He and Blake attack the Leopard from both sides. The Leopard snarled in pain as its opponents' blades cut through it.

Blake and Zangetsu jumped together and performed a double kick. The Leopard stumbled but that wasn't enough as it got up and roared in blood rage, its body was glowing once more.

It was time to end it. Zangetsu pulled out the padlock from his belt and attached it to his bow.

"_**LOCK ON!"**_

Zangetsu drew back on the shaft of his arrow. The entire bow shone with green energy. When the Leopard unleashed the devastating roar, Zangetsu finally fired. His bow fired a powerful arrow. It pierced into the Leopard's roar and shattered the attack to pieces. The Leopard was at shock before the arrow pierced into its heart. The monster screamed in pain and exploded in flames.

The enemy was defeated. Zangetsu lowered his weapon and sighed in relief. It was over but he now paid attention to Blake who watched as the train moved more further away from the other boxcars.

Blake was in thought as her face showed sadness. She knew she had to fight Adam someday but she didn't realized that the pain would be this great. Nevertheless, she did what was right and Zangetsu was saved but still...it hurt so much.

Blake then felt something. She turned her head and saw Zangetsu placing a hand on her shoulder. The samurai looked at her and nodded to her as reassurance that everything will be alright.

* * *

After getting off the train, Blake and Zangetsu went to the rendezvous point and meet up with the hardboiled detective. They gave the items they had collected to him and with that, the mission was complete.

Blake and Zangetsu left. They were currently at a fork road. Since the mission was done, there was no point in being together until the next time.

Zangetsu bowed, "It has been an honor working with you."

Blake did the same, "Likewise."

With that, they departed and journeyed to the paths they took, where their hopes maybe fulfilled.

**Sangokuden x RWBY: HUNT OF THE ARMORED WAR GODS**

**COMING SOON**

**Note: **_**I need to inform you all that the first four chapters are "non-canon". I initially wanted to create "Red and Blue" only but after Busterleader92 gave the idea to do the rest, I did some thinking and decided to do it. It's the fifth chapter is where the real story starts. So please be patient.**_


	4. Gold and Silver

**Gold and Silver**

_Scathing eyes ask that we be symmetrical, one sided and easily processed. Yet every misshapen spark's unseen beauty is greater than its would be judgement._

* * *

**Music: I Burn by Casey Lee Williams**

It was quiet at the city of Vale. For obvious reasons as it was the night time. Many of Vale's citizens had returned home to take their rest. Thus, only a small number of people were present in the streets. The only places that were lit up at this hour were the convenience stores, fast food joints and the questionably popular nightclubs.

Interestingly enough, one club was the focus of this story.

_Red like roses fills my dreams and brings me to the place you rest._

_White is cold and always yearning, burdened by a royal test._

_Black the beast descends from shadows._

_Yellow beauty burns gold._

Booming music, flashing lights and shady business deals was what can be described about it. And yet, young men and women were charmed by it. Here, they could do stuff they couldn't when they were in public.

Near the doors, the two bouncers were having some random guy talk.

Bouncer #1 finished, "And that's how I managed to get the elbow grease and headlight fluid."

Bouncer #2's mouth was gaped open, "You're kidding me."

"Nope, not kidding at all."

"That has got to be the strangest, yet most believable story of all-"

Knock! Knock!

Their conversation was interrupted when they heard a knock on the doors. They opened it a little to have a look and saw who it was. Bouncer #2 had a curious look while Bouncer #1 gasped in fright.

"Who the hell are yo-" Before Bouncer #2 could finish, Bouncer #1 grabbed his mouth all of a sudden.

Bouncer #1 then whispered to his friend, "Do you want your face planted into those doors? Just open it."

Bouncer #2 was confused but he did as he was told. They opened the doors allowing a young woman to enter.

Although a teen, she was downright gorgeous with a well-endowed body. Her golden hair was wild and long that reached past her waist.

She wore a tan vest with gold piping over a yellow, low-cut crop top with a black crest that resembled a burning heart. The vest has puffy cap sleeves with black cuffs.

She had a brown belt with a buckle, a pouch, and a small banner that showed the same burning heart crest. She wore black shorts under her belt, which resembled a pleated skirt in the back. Over the short shorts but under the belt is a white, asymmetrical back skirt.

Around her neck was an orange infinity scarf. She wore brown, knee-high platform boots with orange socks of different lengths. Her left leg had a gray, bandana wrapped around the top of her boot. She wore fingerless black gloves underneath her yellow mechanical gauntlets.

The moment she entered, everyone started to get tensed. Who could blame them? The first time she entered this club...well…things went a little...messy.

The young blonde walked up to the bar counter where the owner of this wholesome little club was.

Upon seeing her, the owner sighed in annoyance, "Blondie, back again."

"What?" Blondie chuckled, "No kisses for me?"

"Don't bring that up," The owner groaned much to Blondie's amusement.

"Oh come on, lighten up a bit."

"How can I lighten up when every time you show up, my club is in shambles thanks to you?" He pointed out, "Answer me that."

Blondie held her hands in defense, "Okay, so the last few visits were not that great."

"That's an understatement."

"But this time, it'll be brief AND I'll guarantee there won't be any damages," Blondie said assuringly. "If you give me some information."

The owner gave a big sigh. But he agreed, "What is it this time?"

Blondie took out her phone and showed him a picture of a young man, "Have you seen him?"

The owner shifted his eyes between the photo and Blondie. Judging by her face, this boy was really important to her. The owner smiled, "Never seen him before. Why, is he your boyfriend?"

The staff laughed at their employer's joke while Blondie rolled her eyes.

"No," Blondie replied, "He's my son."

"Oh your son," The owner chuckled for a while before his face fell at the same time the music stopped and he and his staff stared at the teen in shock, "Wait, what!?"

**CRASH!**

Suddenly a giant metal watermelon crashed through the doors. The owner's men panicked and scattered as the giant sphere rolled into the center of the dance floor where the patrons also fled from its path. Once it came to a stop, a head popped out from the top.

"Maybe I took a wrong turn," remarked the man in the strange masked helmet. It was blue with a silver mouthplate, a red visor and a sword-shaped head crest. Looking around, he noticed the blonde teen, "Hi Yang!"

"Hey, I was just looking for you," Yang called out to Gaim.

"Um...I don't think the people here look happy."

"Do you always have to wreck my club whenever you come here?" Junior asked as Gaim climbed out of the Suika Arms and then slid down its surface to land on the floor.

"Hey, this time it wasn't my fault," Yang defended.

Then footsteps were heard and everyone turned attention to the new arrivals. A few group of them wore white colored business suits and their hairs were combed gently. The remainder of the group had clothing comprised of black and had skeleton-like masks. They were known as the Masquerade Dopants, foot soldiers of the white suited people.

"Who are these guys?" Yang asked.

Gaim answered, "Oh, just a bunch of psychopaths that are plotting to take over the Multiverse."

"Hmmm, they seem nice," Yang remarked.

The floor started rumbling. Then, Atlesian Paladin-290 battlesuits suddenly burst through the floor and landed in front of Gaim and Yang. Seeing them, the blonde teen turned to the owner, glaring angrily at him.

"Junior!" Yang snapped.

"I was holding them for a friend," Junior shrugged. Gaim looked up at the Atlesian Paladins and performed a backflip before landing back in the Suika Arms.

"Yang, get behind me!" shouted Gaim as the mechs aimed and fired their rockets at the immobile metal watermelon. Yang ducked behind it as Gaim ducked his head inside. The rockets exploded against the Suika Arms Armor Part.

The smoke settled and the Suika Arms wasn't just fine, but had reconfigured into its humanoid Yoroi Mode. It had its right palm pointed at the battlesuit and in its left hand was the Suika Sojinto.

Gaim grinned under the Suika Head helmet, "My turn." With a roar, he charged at one of the Atlesian Paladins and struck it with a powerful punch. The battlesuit staggered. He swung the Suika Sojinto but it blocked the mech's weapon with its left arm. As it prepared to shoot Gaim in the face, Yang jumped onto the Suika Arms' shoulder and then bounced off to catch some air. She drew her right arm back, curled her hand into a fist, and smashed it straight down into the head of the Atlesian Paladin. She continued to fire and blast it before it threw her off and she landed on the dance floor.

"Let's party!" Yang declared.

"Yeah, this is our stage now!" Gaim agreed. He aimed his fingers at the Atlesian Paladins and activated the Seed Vulcans. While Gaim took on the bots, Yang faced the white suited men and their cronies.

Yang grinned as she cracked her knuckles, "Okay, so who's first?"

The Masquerade Dopants charged at her first. Yang followed suit. The blonde teen was a beast in combat.

_Mirror, tell me something, tell me who's the loneliest of all?_

She punched one of the Masquerade Dopants in the face followed by kicking another at the side.

Yang flipped back from a strike. Without turning around, she grabbed two Masquerade Dopants that were about to attack her from behind and threw them at their compatriots.

She ran to a mook, landed her feet on his body, jumped up and knocked him out and another at the same time.

_Fear of what's inside of me, tell me can a heart be turned to stone?_

Dodging a swipe, Yang retaliated with a jab, cross and hook. Then, Yang elbowed a Masquerade Dopant and landed a kick on his shoulder.

A Masquerade Dopant jumped at Yang but she grabbed him on time, spin him around a little bit before throwing him and sent him flying towards the DJ Booth. The DJ got out on time.

One Masquerade Dopant, even though most or all of his bones were fractured, managed to have the strength to get up and stealthy approached Yang from behind. Would have worked until Yang without turning back casually did a backhand on his face and he passed out once more.

The people in white suits frowned upon seeing this. With their henchmen defeated, they decided to step in and deal with this little problem.

A few of them took out some items out of their pockets, either resembling USB Drives, Coins or Switches. They injected the devices into their bodies or switched it on causing them to undergo their monstrous transformations.

The white suited man and woman transformed into a reptilian humanoid and a yellow person while another had a fat cat monstrosity emerged from his body. They are the Chameleon Zodiart, Luna Dopant, and Cat Yummy.

With that, the kaijin growled at Yang but Yang wasn't scared when she saw them. She didn't flinched. To her, they are just more stuff to smash. So, she pulled out more ammo and loaded them into her Ember Celica. She was ready for the next round.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Atlesian Paladins had started firing a dozen more rockets. Gaim controlled the Suika Yoroi to lift its arms in front which shielded him from the attacks. Gaim took a step back. Gaim had to admit, the pilots were damn impressive. So, it's time to change that.

Gaim jumped out of the top of the Suika Arms and activated his next transformation.

"**KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!"**

_Born with no life, into subjugation, treated like a worthless animal._

Donning his Kachidoki Arms, Gaim took the brunt of the Paladins' attacks. Firing their bullets and rockets, none of them did any damage on Gaim's armor. As they continued barraging him, Gaim took out his Hinawa Daidai DJ Ju, aka the DJ Gun.

_Stripped of all rights, just a lesser being, crushed by cruel ruthless Human rule._

He scratched the DJ Table which was followed by the sound of war horns. Setting the DJ Pitch to High and scratched the table again, Gaim took aim and pressed the trigger.

_When it started, all we wanted was a chance to live our lives, now in darkness._

The DJ Gun fired and showered the mechs in red hot bullets. Sparks were flying everywhere from the Atlesian Paladins that were being totally torn to shreds. The sound that the bullets made when clashed against the metal was like the sound of firecrackers on Chinese New Year.

Gaim stopped firing and looked at his work. Many of his metallic foes had so many holes on them and black smoke emitted from them. Only a few were left. The Paladins that were still standing ran up to Gaim. One reared its robotic fist and struck.

_Taking everything we want and we will rise, we'll rise, we'll rise._

Shockingly, Gaim grabbed the fist on time. He then karate chopped the arm with so much force that the mechanical arm was severed from the robot.

Gaim then removed his Kachidoki Bata from his back and began mopping the floor with the Paladins.

* * *

_From shadows, we'll descend upon the world, take back what you stole._

The Luna Dopant stretched her limbs at Yang. Yang avoided the hits. The Chameleon Zodiart and the Cat Yummy rushed in. Yang ducked under the Chameleon Zodiart's swipe and step aside to avoid the Cat Yummy's attack as well.

The Chameleon Zodiart blocked a kick from Yang but was sent reeling by a fire blast. Yang punched multiple times at the Cat Yummy but thanks to its durability, it could take them.

Yang jumped back, avoiding another of the Luna Dopant's lashes. The Cat Yummy retaliated with a swipe but Yang caught it and flipped it.

_From shadows, we'll reclaim our destiny, set our future free._

While Yang was currently occupied, the Chameleon Zodiart turned invisible. Yang got attacked from the side by the invisible Zodiart who aimed at the arms and stomach. With Yang distracted, the Luna Dopant managed to struck her and she was knocked back.

_And we'll rise, and we'll rise._

The Chameleon Zodiart revealed himself and unleashed several kicks which Yang blocked before she pushed him back so that she could kick the Luna Dopant's arm away but only to get hit by the other arm.

The blonde teen continued to defend herself when all of a sudden, the Cat Yummy grabbed her from behind. With Yang unable to move, the Luna Dopant fired her stretchy arms again.

At the last second, Yang fired her gauntlets at the ground that sent her along with her captor up, narrowly avoiding the attack. Yang quickly freed herself and fired the Cat Yummy. The Chameleon Zodiart was unfortunate as the Cat Yummy crashed onto him.

Evading the Luna Dopant's lashes a few more times, Yang leapt forward and at mid air, bombarded the kaijin with fire bolts. Pushing the Cat Yummy off him, the Chameleon Zodiart was caught by surprise when Yang delivered a knee attack.

Yang punched him in the chest and finally delivered an explosive uppercut that sent the Chameleon Zodiart crashing into the wall and exploded.

She then went after the Cat Yummy. Yang punched the kaijin so many times at a ridiculous fast pace that its belly vibrated. With one last punch, the Cat Yummy shook violently before bursting into flames, releasing masses of coins that fell like rain.

_Above the darkness and the shame, above the torture and the pain._

Yang was content before the Luna Dopant interrupted it with her long arms. Yang was getting annoyed with the Dopant.

_Above the ridicule and hate, above the binding of our fate._

At a split second, Yang grabbed one of Luna Dopant's arms much to the latter's shock. Yang grinned as she hold tight on the appendage and heave hoed. In a flash, the Luna Dopant was pulled straight towards Yang who reared her other fist and put explosive red Dust into where the mouth used to be.

That force sent the Luna Dopant flying but it didn't stop there. Still holding onto the Luna Dopant's arm, Yang pulled her back and received another fist to the face. She repeated this a dozen times until she finally decided to let go and did one more punch, sending the Luna Dopant crashing against the hard floor.

The Luna Dopant was dazed with stars circling above her head. Yang was going to finish her off until a huge fireball came out of nowhere and did the job for her. The Luna Dopant was consumed in a huge explosion and she reverted back to her now unconscious human form shortly after.

Yang turned to the source of the shot. It was Gaim holding his DJ Gun that had smoke coming out of the barrel. Yang childishly complained, "Nagata, I was going to finish her."

"Sorry," Gaim apologized.

The duo turned to what's left of the group. Only a few remained with almost all terrified. Well, it's understandable when after seeing both their henchmen and super monsters being taken down by a couple of meddling kids. The only one who still at least has composure was a man in front, who wore glasses. From the look on his face, he was mad. The man in white took off his glasses, dropped them to the floor and crushed them under his feet. Then, his eyes began to glow. As it did, he began to transform into a new horrific appearance. A mixture of white and purple with a gem in the middle of his chest. It was a Carbuncle Phantom.

Rocks flew out of the Carbuncle Phantom's body, destroying everything in sight. Gaim and Yang jumped back to avoid the explosive rocks but while they were distracted, the Carbuncle Phantom leapt towards them.

He transformed his left hand into a blade and struck Gaim first before hitting Yang. Yang quickly recovered and started assaulting the Phantom.

The Carbuncle Phantom evaded them with ease. He sent Yang flying towards a pillar and then instantly blocked a strike from Gaim's Kachidoki Bata. The Carbuncle Phantom pushed Gaim back and landed a hit causing the armored Rider to skid back.

Gaim pressed on regardless. The Carbuncle Phantom fired his explosive rocks at Gaim who defended himself with his sashimono poles. He managed to handle a bunch but many got through and hit him. Had enough with this, Gaim swung his flags up and the rocks stopped dead in their tracks. Another swing, the rocks flew straight back to the Carbuncle Phantom and exploded upon contact.

But it wasn't over. The Carbuncle Phantom exited out of the smoke and charged at Gaim. He smacked away the Kachidoki Bata from Gaim's hands. Gaim quickly draw out his Musou Saber to block a strike.

As this happened, Yang having recovered, fired at the Carbuncle Phantom who pulled back from Gaim to avoid the shots.

After Yang stopped firing, the Carbuncle Phantom fired his rocks again.

"Is he gonna keep spamming?" Yang asked, annoyed.

"It's kinda his forte," Gaim replied as he took out his DJ Gun. Turning the DJ Pitch to Low and scratch the disk, Gaim fired a ball of energy and countered the explosive rocks. Few shots later, one ball hit the Carbuncle Phantom in the chest.

"Okay, that'll give me time to do this," Gaim quickly switched Lockseeds, going for the one decorated with a red masked face.

"**SOIYA!"**

The zipper portal opened, dropping the Wizard Arms onto Gaim, causing his Kachidoki Arms to vanish. After the armor was formed, Gaim was now donning his Wizard Arms.

"**WIZARD ARMS! SHABADOOBIE SHOWTIME!"**

"Alright!" Gaim declared as he brandished his WizardSwordGun, "It's...SHOWTIME!" He parried the Carbuncle Phantom's blade and pushed down so their weapons were pointed down. This gave Yang the opening she needed as she smashed her fist into the Carbuncle Phantom's face from the side, sending him flying to the wall.

"So Nagata, what kind of tricks does it have?" Yang asked.

"I'll show you," said Gaim as the Carbuncle Phantom recovered and fired explosive magical stones at them.

_Come at me, and you'll see, I'm more than meets the eye._

"Defend, Please!" Gaim immediately conjured up a magical shield to block the projectiles.

"Big, Please!" A magic seal appeared. Gaim drove his hand into it and the arm was inexplicably huge when it exited out from the other side much to the Carbuncle Phantom's surprise who then got slapped by the arm.

_You think that, you'll break me, you're gonna find in time._

Yang smiled, clearly impressed, "Wow, giant body parts, ARM impressed."

Hearing this, Gaim turned to Yang, raising an eyebrow, "Seriously?"

_You're standing too close to a flame that's burning, hotter than the sun in the middle of July._

Sadly, the question have to wait as the Carbuncle Phantom returned to fight. Yang caught the blade on time and punched him.

Gaim head in and clashed with the Phantom. The Carbuncle Phantom pushed him away allowing Yang to deliver a few swift kicks.

"Copy, Please!" Activating another power, three Gaims appeared beside him. Turning their weapons into Gun Mode, the four Gaims fired at the Carbuncle Phantom.

_Sending out your army, but you still can't win; listen up, silly boy, 'cuz I'm gonna tell you why..._

"Hah!" Yang performed jabs, firing several Dust-infused shots at the Phantom. Then together, Gaim and Yang rushed at their enemy. Gaim slashed with his sword as Yang pounded with her fists. The Carbuncle Phantom swiped at Yang but she jumped to avoid the blade.

"Heh, you have to do better than..." Yang went silent as she saw a strand of her golden hair fall down in front of her face and land on the floor.

"Uh-oh," Gaim gulped as he knew that look.

"You," the Carbuncle Phantom hissed, "You have made a GRAVE MISTAKE crossing us! You, your family and anyone you care about will forever be hunted by us and never have moments of peace even in death!"

Even with that threat, Gaim was not fazed and calmly replied, "Well, you made a mistake as well."

"And what's that?"

"You just pissed off my aunt," Gaim stated, gesturing with his head.

_Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why! Why!_

Yang had her teeth gritted, her fists clenched, her shoulders trembling. Her hair rose into the air as a blazing aura radiated from her body. She looked up and her eyes turned blood red as she glared at the Carbuncle Phantom with absolute rage.

"YOU MONSTER!" she roared.

_I burn! Can't hold me now, you got nothing that can stop me._

Gaim comically stepped aside as Yang blazed past him and attacked the Carbuncle Phantom. If the Phantom had any eyes, they would be bulging wide as Yang smashed her fist straight at him. Oh, she didn't stop there. She continued to pummel him with explosive punches, and when she missed, she hit the floor and caused a massive shockwave.

"I guess it's time for the finale!" Gaim declared as he hit the Cutting Blade to activate his finisher.

"**SOIYA! WIZARD SQUASH! CHOINE, SAIKO!"**

_I burn! Swing all you want._

Gaim's feet were covered in fire. He then did a somersault and jumped into the air. At the same time after causing the Carbuncle Phantom to leave a mark on the floor, Yang darted and readied her flame covered fist. The two converged on the Carbuncle Phantom and delivered a punch-kick combined attack.

_Like a fever I will take you down._

* * *

The fireworks could be seen from outside. Explosions were popping up at various parts of the club. Explosions were so freaking loud that it caused a little tremor. The trash cans, lamp posts, cars and whatever public property outside jumped a bit from that. After a couple of seconds, the explosion stopped and silence returned.

After a brief while, the doors opened and Yang and Nagata exited out of the club.

"So, how was that?" Yang asked, hands behind her head in a relaxed manner.

"Well, you promised to show me a night to remember and you sure delivered," Nagata smiled.

RING! RING!

Yang's Scroll rang. She took it out and saw the caller ID. She answered and Ruby's face appeared on the screen. "Hey Ruby?"

"Hi Yang, have you found Nagata?"

"Yeah, he's right with me."

"Hi Ruby!" Nagata greeted as he waved at Ruby on the Scroll.

"Well, get back here. The party's about to start."

"Easy there, we're going." Yang offered, "Come on, Nagata. Hop on my Bumblebee."

"I'll take my own ride if you don't mind," Nagata smiled as he pulled out his Sakura Hurricane Lockseed. He tossed it up as it grew and unfolded into his bike which landed next to him. "Race ya?"

"Oh, it's on!" They fist-bumped before climbing on to their rides and then racing into the night.

**Sangokuden x RWBY: HUNT OF THE ARMORED WAR GODS**

**COMING SOON**

**GKoh: Okay, so a few of you guys might be confused after reading this. You know, regarding Yang saying Nagata is her son. Okay, let me explain. Before that, I need to warn you that there are spoilers. So please check Kamen Rider Chrome's page and read Destiny of the Armored War Gods. If nothing else, let's continue.**

**At the second half of Destiny of the Armored War Gods, Nagata (Armored War God Gaim) and the other Armored War Gods were invited to the first ever Imperial Armored War God Tournament. However unbeknownst to them, the tournament was actually a trap set up by the RinJyuKen which succeeded in Chapter 12 when Ukitsu, Armored War Devil Duke cast a spell that sent the Armored War Gods back to their world.**

**In Chapter 13, many things were revealed about the boys' world.**

**1\. This 'Real World' is actually an alternate universe.**

**2\. Residing in this alternate Real World are alternate versions of anime characters.**

**3\. All the Armored War Gods are children of these alternate anime characters. For example, Armored War God Bravo, Marcus is the son of an alternate Ichika Orimura and an alternate Charlotte Dunois.**

**It didn't took long for our heroes to miss the people of the Three Kingdoms and after many helpful advices by their parents, friends or acquaintances, the Armored War Gods resolved to return to Ancient China which they did in Chapter 14. Bless you Chosen even if you are creepy.**

**If you readers had read to the very end of Chapter 14, there was another twist. Prior to going to the Museum, Nagata left a letter to his parents with his mother being an alternate Yang Xiao Long. On that letter, it was revealed that Nagata was actually adopted. His real parents had perished in some kind of accident and his uncle and aunt took him in and raised him as their own. The truth is…Nagata's true mother is an alternate Ruby Rose and it's not a typo if you read the movie trailer in Chapter 16 at the end of S4, Alliance of the Armored War Gods.**

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods is a crossover with Sangokuden and RWBY and it is the first ever AWG movie I had thought of thanks to the inspiration of chapter 14 in S3 which foreshadow the event of this movie. That means Nagata will meet the RWBY version of his mother. What will happen? That's for you to find out on the next chapters.**

**Okay, much was explained but you're still wondering why Yang called Nagata her son. Simple...she's trolling. In all of her previous visits to the club, she had mentioned nothing about her family for obvious reasons until now. Basically she just wanted to see Junior and everyone's reaction.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading.**


	5. Festivities

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 1: Festivities**

China was experiencing a crisis. Reports flooded the capital about unprovoked attacks upon neighboring kingdoms. They all had the same outcomes: death and destruction. But there was one more thing the reports had in common: the attacks came from the sky.

Of course, many in Rakuyo believed the reports were preposterous. Few, however, did not take this matter lightly. Even the Emperor was incredibly worried about this. If the kingdoms were being attacked, there was no doubt that this phenomenon might occur in Rakuyo.

Unfortunately, that fear came true.

* * *

Blood. Fire. Death. They were everywhere. Littered across the terrain were the remains of many soldiers belonging to the capital, Rakuyo.

Not long ago, the Emperor had ordered his army to defend the capital from the unknown threat. Just as they did, the threat finally arrived.

They hadn't stood a chance. Balls of fire rained down upon them causing a series of explosions. The archers and catapults fired at the skies but it appeared that there was no effect as the fireballs continued to bombard them. Soldiers were blown to pieces while those nearby were flung into the air, only to come down half dead or fully dead.

* * *

Dark thunder clouds and vicious lightning that materialize randomly, the entire sky was chaotic. One thing was not affected by this, a fortress that could fly. It was massive and was many stories high. Its palace was dreaded black much like the walls that surrounded it but there were gold drawings or markings on it depicting a wide variety of birds that looked like they were in pain.

Rows of windows lined the palace and each window had a cannon coming out from it. The roofs of the towers and the palace had dark purple flame like patterns. The huge round platform the fortress stood on and also gave the fortress flight had turrets at the bottom.

At the final floor outside, two giant crimson metal birds were at the front that showed their wings as if threatening any intruders. The roof of the final floor had flame patterns and a giant hook at the tip.

The interior was just as horrid. Long tapestries were hung on the walls also depicting the tortured birds. A large lantern hung on the ceiling and lit the room with its azure blue light. A huge throne was at the back and behind it was a large symbol depicting a phoenix.

Present in this _throne room_ were the ones that lived in this mighty vessel. Five individuals watched their work in wicked glee through a magic mirror. Their description cannot be seen but upon glance, they looked human but they had beastly features.

"Look at them," one figure pointed out, giggling in crazed hysteria as he kept repeating, "They're crumbling, they're crumbling."

Another figure sniggered at what her companion had just said and replied in a feminine voice, "It is to be expected."

"I'm surprised that these fools still have the courage to fight us," A third figure remarked, deep in tone. "They might be the craziest soldiers or the dumbest."

"I go with dumb. They think that they could bring us down with just mere swords and sticks," said a fourth figure, raspy in tone.

The magic mirror showed some of the soldiers from the ground. Unable to see the enemy, the soldiers were not sure whether they were hitting anything. They were so terrified that they abandoned their groups or posts only to receive the same fate as the ones who were loyal to the core.

The five laughed at this. Seeing their enemy slowly falling was a satisfying sight. They relished it for a while until they heard a menacing noise. The five turned their heads to the source.

The sixth member stood in the middle of the throne room who held what appeared to be a weapon lodged in a round blood red panel. He was their leader. He was the true controller. He was the one that helmed the flying fortress. Their silence suggests that they deeply respected him or just downright terrified. Or even both.

The fifth of the group spoke to him in a robotic monotone, "My Lord, you have been silent for some time now. Is there a problem?"

The Sixth or Controller growled like a wild beast in response. Few of the others began to shake in fright and sweat non-stop, seeing him like this. They didn't like it when he's like that. Finally, the Sixth spoke.

"All these forces, all present to meet their end," He hissed, "and yet…he's not here."

"Are you...talking about the Emperor?" asked the First before he jumped back when he received a snarl from the Controller.

"Now that you mention it, I don't see the Emperor anywhere." The Second looked at the mirror. She checked the battlefield below and saw that the Emperor was not there.

"Ha!" The Fourth laughed as he continued, "That pruny old wart! He's a mere bug compared to what we possessed. He's just like the others before him. They may stand proud like dragons but they're merely toothless worms, easily crushed."

The others backed away from the Fourth as he proudly boasted, "This vessel is the greatest power in China. We won my lord. The Emperor and his followers are at our mercy."

Unfortunately, saying these words just made the leader grew more furious and he looked at the Fourth with disgust. "Is the Seal of Heaven at our mercy?"

When he said that, the Fourth began to pale. He had forgotten about that. The Emperor was not like the others. Unlike them, the Emperor had one thing that could turn the tide, the Seal of Heaven.

Realizing the error he made, the Fourth whimpered, "Not yet."

Just after saying that, the figure got blasted to the floor by his Lord. The Controller left his spot to head to his subordinate and grabbed him by the throat. The Fourth tried to breath but could not as his Lord's claws grasped him tight.

"Then we haven't won yet, you idiot!" The Controller roared. "Only when the Seal of Heaven lay in pieces is when we truly won!"

"Forgive me, my Lord. I'm sorry."

"Then, stop groveling!" With that, the Controller threw the Fourth against the wall and returned to his position. He controlled the turrets and cannons and had them pointed at the capital.

At the capital, the people were being evacuated. The Emperor feared for his people's safety and had ordered a portion of his men to lead them away from the battle. However, mass panic was all around making it harder to accomplish the task. Suddenly, they heard something. Many looked up to the skies and their faces turned to horror. The fireballs exited the clouds and were heading right towards them.

The people panicked. The soldiers stationed in the city tried hard to contain them and get them out but it was futile.

The fireballs were getting closer with their flames getting more intense as they continued their descent. They were near their targets and those with families hugged their loved ones as this may be their final days living.

Then…something amazing occurred.

Just as the fireballs were about to hit, a shockwave of gold spread throughout Rakuyo. The fireballs were caught in it and dissipated in a flash. It took a few seconds before the citizens opened their eyes and saw they were not harmed.

Back at the fortress, the six figures couldn't believe what they saw. Their attacks? A wave of energy just destroyed them. It did not last long as their focus was then turned to the rumbling that was happening in their fortress. Staring at the clouds, the Controller realized what was happening. They were being pulled down.

The fortress was dragged down by an unknown force. The rumbling grew stronger and the group tried to hold onto something as they descended.

The fortress continued to drop until it exited the clouds. After that, the fortress stopped. The group got up. A relief for them but they looked out the windows and discovered a major problem. While their fortress was still above ground, they were below the clouds and the people of Rakuyo saw the flying structure.

"My Lord, are you alright?" one of them asked the Controller but all he got was silence. The group finally noticed their leader was looking at something. They looked at the direction and their jaws dropped just like their Lord.

Within Rakuyo, the Imperial Palace of the Emperor was giving off a beautiful bright golden light. All over the city, the citizens felt the light's warmth and began to calm down.

Then, the glowing stopped which was when the palace doors suddenly opened. An old man wearing regal robes exited out of the palace and slowly went down the stairs.

"The Emperor!" shouted the Third.

The Second noticed something. "Wait a minute, what is he holding?"

The villains stared at what the Emperor held in his hands. It was glowing. It was the source of the golden light. It was the one that protected Rakuyo from harm and pulled their mighty fortress down to be exposed.

"The Seal of Heaven!" gasped the Fourth.

The Emperor stopped walking as he looked up to see the flying fortress. The ruler of Rakuyo narrowed his eyes, his blood boiling hot. He saw the enemy. He now knew that this fortress was without question responsible for the attacks. His comrades and his people suffered because of it. Well, no more.

The Emperor held the Seal of Heaven high above him allowing another miracle to occur. The magical item glowed and released a beam of light. The beam took shape. A long serpent body was formed along with claws and scales. Horns were taking shape followed by the razor sharp teeth, strong snout and eyes that contained fury. Arise was a dragon made of light who roared at the floating fortress.

At the fortress, the dark figures were losing their confidence after seeing the things that the Seal of Heaven did. But not the Controller. Instead, he gave a malicious grin. "Now this is where the fight begins."

The Controller returned to his original position and controlled the fortress. "Destroy it!"

With one command, the fortress opened fire on the golden dragon who roared in defiance. The noble beast sped like lightning and swung its tail which hit many of the attacks. Some hit its face but it shrugged it off then fired a beam of light out of its mouth and hit the fortress.

An effective hit but the fortress endured and fired once more. The dragon left a line made of light as it soared through the skies to avoid the fireballs. While they missed their target, many of the fireballs were very close and exploded but the dragon continued on.

Dodging several more, the dragon then head to the fortress and flew passed it. The immense shockwave made from it shook the fortress and most of the group nearly fell to the floor.

The Sixth was impressed. He used almost everything he had and yet this being continued to resist. The Seal of Heaven really lived up to its reputation. But it's time to end this game right here and now.

The fortress began to give off an eerie red aura. The aura started to take shape in the form of a red bird. More of these constructs were created until there was an entire flock.

Without wasting time, the avians flew towards the dragon and swarmed it. The dragon sank its teeth on a few of them followed by swiping its tail at the flock.

The birds broke through its defense as they pecked and clawed at the dragon who roared in pain.

Meanwhile, the Controller saw his creations swarming the golden dragon. He smirked as that was his plan all along. With the dragon distracted, the Controller can deliver the final blow. He summoned a giant red orb in front of the fortress and it was pointed at the dragon.

While trying to defend itself, the dragon noticed the attack. The dragon understood what was going on and it needed to stop it. It curled itself. Its body glowed and then energy burst out destroying the birds from existence.

Fortunate timing as the fortress looked almost ready to fire. The dragon readied its beam.

Their power grew intense by every second. With that, both forces fired. A loud boom was heard as the beams collided with one another causing many at the city to cover their eyes from the sheer blinding light.

It appeared the fortress was winning as its attack was pushing back the dragon's beam.

The Controller saw it. He saw victory was at hand and gave a dark chuckle. "Yes, yes, yes!"

At the capital, the Emperor saw this. It looked hopeless but he wasn't going to give up. He went through so much to get where he was today and he'd be damned before he let this evil destroy what he worked so hard to create. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. As he did, the Seal of Heaven glowed brighter. After that, the Emperor opened his eyes which were now glowing gold.

Just as the red beam was near the dragon, the creature's eyes glowed like the Emperor. When it did, the golden beam suddenly pushed back the attack. The more it did, the stronger it became.

With one more roar, the dragon's beam destroyed the red beam. Not only that, the powerful beam consumed the fortress. The figures screamed as they were engulfed by the golden beam.

"NOOOO!" those were the last words of the Controller before he faded into the light.

What came next was a huge explosion. Thunder was heard as the smoke enveloped the city. After a while, it stopped and everything was quiet.

The people opened their eyes. They looked around to see everyone was okay. They glanced up and discovered that the fortress was gone. Only the golden dragon remained who roared in victory before fading away.

Everyone turned to the Emperor who stood proud and mighty. And then came the cheering.

All around, the people clapped and cheered. They were safe. They won. Everyone gathered around the Emperor and showered him with praises.

The Emperor gave a warm smile. He had save his city from destruction and potentially saved countless others from the fortress' wrath.

As the joy continued, few of his surviving men came out of the crowd and appeared before him. "Emperor, we found something."

The Emperor's face turned from happy to serious as he followed his soldiers to what they had found.

* * *

**(Present Day)**

_Darkness was all around. I couldn't see anything. Finally, my eyes opened. Light returned to me and I could see again. Great thing it was. Only now, I had another problem._

"_Where am I?" I asked myself. I looked down at my feet, I was standing on brown wooden flooring. Then I viewed my surroundings. The walls were vibrant in color and black ink portraits hung on it. Along them were doors called shoji. Based on the architecture, it was Japanese._

_I looked down at the hall. I saw people entering or exiting out of the rooms._

_I checked inside one of them. I saw many of the people were kneeling on zabutons enjoying the food that were placed on the long tables. I now know that it was nighttime because the ceiling lights were on and the opened shoji showed it was dark outside. The walls in the room had drawings on them depicting of a band of warriors having a grand feast._

_Looking at it all, somehow it felt familiar._

"_Hey Nagata!"_

_I heard someone calling my name. I looked up and saw few of the people waving at me. Some even hugged me and said, "You've grown so big." or "Happy Birthday!"_

_The weirdest part, like the mansion, they looked familiar._

"_Naga-kun!"_

_Someone shouted. After the people left, two cute girls approached me. Their ages were probably be four or five._

_Wait a minute? I know them._

_Karasu?_

_Shirohana?_

_"Naga-kun, it's your party! Let's play!" Kara-chan called. The 'little princess' as she was called in jest, Karasu Oda was my cousin. She's also the clan's heiress and pretty important. She acts a bit snobby at times too, but she's actually very nice. Many says she and Aunt Yang look the same, but Kara-chan has black hair._

_"Come on, Nagata!" urged Shirohana. She's Aunt Weiss' daughter and was my first friend. Shirohana almost looks like a perfect copy of her mother. She had her white hair in those funny twirly pigtails. Although raised in a wealthy lifestyle, she was a true sweetheart and we both helped each other many times._

_I turned my head to the right and saw watching quietly was Aunt Blake's pair of three year old twins, a boy and a girl. They had dark hair, though the girl wore a bow ribbon like their mother, and they had cat-like yellow eyes. The Kuro Twins as I called them, they only spoke when they needed to speak. While quiet, they could be troublemakers too._

"_Naga-kun, come one. Let's play," said Karasu._

"_Play now," voiced Shirohana._

_The two dragged me away from the people and brought me to another room. Inside, there were more children and they were wearing…Kamen Rider masks?_

_Wait a minute. This house? Birthday? Karasu, Shirohana, and the Kuro Twins?_

_Now I remember. It's all coming back to me. This was my birthday. My fifth birthday and I'm at…my grandparents' home._

_The Oda Clan's main estate was located in Kyoto, and for a special occasion like my birthday, it couldn't just be held at my parents' home._

_Mom wanted to organize the party the way I would've liked. So, each of the kids attending was given a Kamen Rider mask instead of party hats and my party was Kamen Rider themed._

_She knew I loved Kamen Rider._

_Man, looking at this memory. All the people were kind to one another. The laughs and the games. I sighed in happiness. I was having so much nostalgia._

_The children were chasing one another pretending to be the Rider and kaijin. Others were doing the transformation poses. Before I continued to watch this, I noticed the parents that were in the room. That was when I froze. Among the adults were four young women having a nice chat._

_These four women were just beautiful. Pure snowy white was the color of their skin and their eyes brimming with life and energy. And their hair, cannot be comprehend. If you ever read fairy tales of heroes and princesses, well in my opinion, these are real princesses._

_They were laughing and smiling. All of them I know. While the two of them are not blood related, I still called them aunts._

_The first woman had a regal presence. Her ice blue eyes and long snowy white hair reflected that stature. She wore a blue twinset with the cardigan having a white line around the collar and along the buttons. She had a beautiful pearl necklace around her neck and a nice white skirt. That was Aunt Weiss._

_The second woman had a mysterious aura around her. Her long wavy black hair and amber cat like eyes were truly exotic. She wore a long sleeve white blouse and long black pants with the former having black ribbons tied around the sleeves. She also had a small black bow on her wrist. That was Aunt Blake._

_The third woman was without a doubt had this motherly vibe. She had wild long blonde hair, alluring lilac eyes and had a smile that shone like the blazing sun. She wore a sleeveless yellow shirt and a blue bell bottoms. Tied around her leg was an anklet that had multi-colored feather decorations. She was my aunt but was now my mother, Yang._

_Finally, the fourth woman. She..sh…She had stunning black hair with a beautiful red tint. She wore a vivid red sweater that had black roses on it and a light brown long pants. She had this lovely corsage on her wrist that resembled a red rose and a beautiful medallion that was around her slender neck. One thing that was most memorable about her was her beautiful silver eyes. When I stared into them, I saw her soul. Pure, innocent, gentle. I had so many words to say. I...know her very well. She…she's..._

* * *

**World of Sangokuden**

A rooster crowed loudly as the sun rose and Touka Village would be greeted with a new day. As usual, the capital of Shoku Province was enjoying another day of peace and tranquility. Such peace was no doubt thanks to the Armored War Gods and the villagers made sure to pay their respects to both Gaim and Ryugen for always watching over them.

Currently, the Blue King of Shoku was still asleep in bed. He had gone to bed late the previous night after finishing his studies. Despite being a leader, he was still learning the ropes. However, what he lacked in knowledge, he made up for in courage, determination, spirit and resolve. Still, he swore to try and improve as a leader and would benefit from his studies. Komei was a good teacher.

Kanu greeted as she entered his bedroom, "Good morning, Nagata-sama..." She trailed off as she saw him still in bed. "Nagata-sama, it's already morning." She went over and shook his shoulder to rouse him awake.

"...Five more minutes..." he groaned as he turned away. Kanu rolled her eyes. He wasn't much of a morning person if he hadn't had enough sleep.

"Nagata-sama, you need to wake up. You have duties to perform," Kanu reminded. Nagata looked at her with half-lidded eyes then grinned cheekily.

"OK, I'll wake up, if you give me a good morning kiss." Kanu blushed as he closed his eyes and puckered his lips. She sighed.

"Alright." Kanu leaned in to give him a good morning kiss. Nagata's eyes flashed as he got his chance and grabbed hold of Kanu, pulling her into bed. "Wah!" She was now lying on the bed with Nagata next to her. "Nagata-sama..." she growled in annoyance. He chuckled and put an arm around her, pulling her towards him.

"Don't forget that kiss," he told her and she sighed, letting him have his way as he kissed her. Kanu reciprocated the kiss. It was these moments that Kanu cherished. She never thought she would ever fall in love with her lord and even then she never thought he would ever reciprocate her feelings. Now that he did, Kanu felt a void within her filled. She was more determined to protect him as he was precious to her.

"Onee-chan! Onii-chan! It's morning! Get out of bed!" Chouhi yelled and the two teenagers sat up to see the redhead standing in the doorway.

"Uh, right." Nagata rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I'm going to go and use the bathroom. I'll see you at breakfast." He gave Kanu a peck on the lips and jumped out of bed. He patted Chouhi's head before making his way to the bathroom.

"Were you and Onii-chan kissing again?" Chouhi asked.

"Rinrin, please!" Kanu blushed.

"That's OK. You really love each other," Chouhi beamed. "I just want you to be happy, Aisha-neechan."

* * *

A while later, Nagata took his bath. He lifted a wooden pail and poured the water inside on top of his head. Drenched, he grabbed the soap and washed his skin. Nagata was accommodating quite well. It took a lot of time due to the showers haven't been invented yet but he prevailed.

As Nagata continued washing himself, his mind was in thought recalling that China was entering its fourth month of the Age of the Armored War Gods.

'_Age of the Armored War Gods, huh_?' Nagata thought, sounded quite amused. Nagata clearly remembered how it began.

Years ago, China was once under the rule of the Han Dynasty. The people enjoyed a long, prosperous time of peace until the day came when Emperor Han died. News about his death spread far and wide across the land. A tragedy it was but some did not saw it like that. Not long after, bandit gangs were formed, causing chaos around with their pillaging and slaughtering of the innocent. With the violence rapidly growing out of control, the people were scared, losing their faith in the process. The other kingdoms and provinces, strayed away, claiming other lands they could find to accumulate their power, to protect themselves in this dark time. Their unity was shattered.

Fortunately, it seemed the great lords above had something in their sleeves to aid their children. Thus came the event that transformed many lives.

Back in his world, Nagata Oda was just an average guy with the face that was dime a dozen but had a loving family and friends to guide him through. However, there was something missing in his life. He didn't have much of a sense of purpose back home. He felt that he was meant for other things in life. He felt like there could be something else he could be doing. Deep down, he wanted to be a hero. He had no idea what the future might bring him until fate entered the scene.

During a trip to the museum while observing the wide array of the museum's collection, Nagata witnessed a thief trying to steal one of the artifacts. Like a good citizen he was, he tried to stop it. He was not the only one. Others nearby saw the thief and they too attempted to stop him from getting away with it but during the skirmish, the mirror that the thief tried to steal was accidentally dropped and shattered on the floor. What happened after that was something phenomenal. When the mirror broke, it somehow sent them back to Ancient China.

When he arrived, Nagata was very confused on his current situation. Only for a brief while before bandits came and cornered him. It seemed like the end for him until help has arrived in the form of a long black haired beauty named Kanu Unchou. Nagata was surprised when he first saw her. From the history books he read, Kanu was a man but that thought had to be put on hold since his life was in danger. The female known as Kanu fought hard to protect him but some of the bandits managed to get by her and headed straight towards him.

This was bad but surprisingly, it lead Nagata to make another important discovery. Prior to the bandits' appearance, Nagata found out he had his Kamen Rider belt which he bought not long ago attached to his waist. During the struggle, the belt was accidentally activated. When it did, a portal appeared above his head and exiting out was an armor that latched on to his mortal body. After that, Nagata realized a dream being fulfilled. A dream of becoming a Kamen Rider.

This was the most amazing thing that ever happened to Nagata. He became Kamen Rider Gaim but for the people here, they called him Armored War God Gaim.

With it, Nagata took down his attackers. After defeating his attackers, he joined up with Kanu who bowed to the boy much to his confusion. Kanu then explained. When she witnessed his transformation, she believed that he was the prophesied Messenger of Heaven, a being sent from the Heavens that would bring peace to the world.

While flattering, Nagata couldn't accept that since he didn't believe he was up to the task and most importantly, was more focused on going home. Nonetheless, Nagata decided to follow Kanu in the end to not only restore peace to China but to find a way to return to his original timeline.

Together, they traveled across China meeting more historical figures and to their surprise, more Armored War Gods.

Like Nagata, they came from his world and they too possessed the Forbidden Fruits of Heaven. However, they took different sides. Baron and Bravo chose Gi, ruled by the powerful Sousou. Zangetsu, Mars and Kamuro joined Go, ruled by the beautiful Sonsaku. Knuckle with the En Clan, Chulainn with the Nanbans and finally Gaim, Ryugen, Gridon and Kurokage stayed with the newly formed Kingdom of Shoku.

As of now, the kingdoms and provinces were allies, all because they shared a common enemy: the RinJyuKen Akugata.

The Armored War Gods knew a lot about them. Undead beings with the ability to use the power of the animals, they were a fictional villain group from another Tokusatsu series but here, they were not fake, they were real and so was their carnage they brought upon the inhabitants.

Nagata didn't know how they could be here but he could never forgive himself if he allowed them to accomplish their goal. So far, they were focused on gathering enough Rinki by causing fear and chaos. While attacks seemed random, they were always committed in populated areas and the people would flee in terror when the RinJyuKen arrived. The fear and despair was harvested by the RinJyuKen.

The Armored War Gods, however, brought something else to the table. It was something that could beat the RinJyuKen. It was the Armored War Gods themselves.

The RinJyuKen may have power but so did Nagata and the rest of the Armored War Gods. What evil schemes the RinJyuKen had, the Armored War Gods were ready to take on anything the RinJyuKen could throw at them and they always stood on top in the end. They became the symbols of hope and justice.

With the fall of the Imperial Government, the people had decided to name the new era the Age of the Armored War Gods. It was a change from the era of the Three Kingdoms that the Armored War Gods had learnt about but it will have to do.

* * *

After finishing his bath and got dressed, Nagata headed to the dining room. There, everyone was enjoying their breakfast.

Gulping down a bit of the rice and egg he had, Nagata raised his head to look at everyone. Sitting beside him was the first person he met in China, Kanu.

Kanu was a remarkable woman. When she was little, her entire family were murdered by marauding bandits. Since that day, she had dedicated her entire life in hunting these monsters and vowed to return peace and order to China until she met Nagata Oda. At first, their relationship was a master and retainer but as the days passed, the two grew closer and they bonded until it blossomed into romance. Kanu was more than just Nagata's ally, she was his lover and they wouldn't have it any other way.

Chouhi and Bacho were stuffing their faces with food which led Kanu to give them a small scolding. Nagata chuckled when Chouhi puffed her cheeks and Bacho chuckled nervously. During his travels alongside Kanu, the two met plenty of interesting individuals but only a few became their future allies. Chouhi was a young girl and once leader of her own group, the Rinrin Bandits. After her grandfather passed away, she was all alone. Thankfully, good fortune was rewarded to her when Nagata and Kanu arrived and they became Chouhi's brother and sister much to her pure joy. While maybe small, her strength was a force to be reckoned with.

Chou'un was the next person Nagata met. Initially she wanted to join Kosonsan's army but when she saw Nagata's abilities as Gaim, she decided to join him instead because he was more exciting. She was a calm and cool individual but with a playful streak and a love for menma. She was also known as the beautiful warrior of love and justice, Kachou Kamen (Butterfly Mask). Nagata long wondered why she wanted to do it but it had to be pushed aside as there were more important things to take care of.

Bacho was another impressive warrior. Ever since she was little and been trained in martial arts, she became adept in combat with her skills in battle unquestionable. She can be tomboyish at times but that doesn't stop her from doing her job. She was great friends with Chouhi and Nagata was happy that Chouhi met someone that more or less shared the same interests with her.

Komei was no doubt the youngest of Nagata's allies. However beneath her cute appearance, there was a mind of a brilliant tactician. Her knowledge whether medicine or history has helped herself and her friends through tough times and hasn't stopped since then. She loved books, but she was also a closet pervert with a love for erotic fiction much to her embarrassment.

There was also Batai, Bacho's cousin. While not as strong or as skilled as Bacho, she was quite formidable. She had been training under Bacho's father before his death and had come to Touka Village to continue her training under Bacho. Bacho, being a serious trainer, made sure Batai took her training seriously. Unfortunately, Batai was immature and love to play pranks.

Sitting next to each other were Ryuubi and Gien. Ryuubi was without a doubt, Nagata's biggest fan. While seeing her idol was such a delight, she had actually came to the village in search of her ancestral sword. Her identity and sword had been stolen by a man who simply wanted fame. Nagata and his friends ended up joining her on her quest to regain her sword. Despite losing it again, she had sacrificed it to save many lives and had gained something more precious than a sword. She had become sworn sisters with Kanu and Chouhi as a result.

Gien was a former student of Gengan and had actually joined Ryuubi while she and some of the others had gone on a quest to find a piece of the cure for General Kashin. She and Ryuubi have a close relationship. Thus, she became her bodyguard. Gien and Batai were friendly rivals and while they got on each other's nerves, they worked well together.

Kochu was the oldest among his allies and unlike the others she was happily married. Her husband was Iori Tokugawa, aka Armored War God Ryugen of the Ultimate Eye. They even had a cute little daughter named Riri who was seated between them. Riri was Kochu's daughter from a previous marriage with Iori being her second husband and Riri's stepfather. However, that fact didn't stop Iori from loving Riri like she was his own daughter.

Another new friend was Ryofu who sat quietly on her spot at the table. She was actually a general of Totaku's. However, since the Anti-Tyrant Alliance, Ryofu had ended up joining Shoku to serve Nagata. It was her way of thanking him for his kindness. It was because of this kindness that Ryofu developed a crush on the Armored War God. Ever since Ryofu joined, she had also decided to elect herself as his personal bodyguard. However, she took her job way too seriously and ended up in compromising positions with Nagata.

She could also eat a lot, but unlike Bacho and Chouhi, she ate at a sedate pace. She had good table manners, something Nagata could appreciate.

Chinkyuu sat next to Ryofu. Another member of the now disbanded To Faction, she was a strategist and also Ryofu's companion and adopted little sister. She was quite protective of the older girl who had saved her from a life of hunger and poverty and was grateful for her. She thought it was her job to look out for Ryofu who could be quite naive at times. Long ago, her village was destroyed by the Armored War Devils leading her to develop hatred towards Armored War Gods. However thanks to recent events, her opinion has changed. While she'll never forgive the ones that wipe out her village, she will do her best in getting along with the Armored War Gods who were true heroes.

Nagata smiled. Seeing everyone here together and having a relaxing time warmed his heart. To Nagata, they were more than just allies. They were his friends and family. They were the people closest to him whom he trusted with his life.

"Here's some more tea, Gaim-sama!" Hearing a cute, soft voice, Nagata turned and now realized that Totaku was pouring him tea.

Totaku smiled towards the Armored War God. Of course she would. Nagata rescued her from the clutches of Chojo, defended her innocence and gave her and her comrades sanctum.

Nagata smiled back. Deep in thought, he felt sorry for her. Long ago, Totaku was once the ruler of To. She was a sweet hearted girl, always determined to do her best in serving her people. However, that came to an end when she was chosen to become Empress. It was supposed to be an amazing honor but Eunuch Chojo twisted it for her own selfish gains.

Not long after, Chojo took Totaku and forced Totaku's friends to serve her. Chojo tarnished Totaku's good name and the Empress was branded as the greatest tyrant in all of China. Even with Chojo's defeat, the damage was already done. Hence, Nagata offered what remains of To to stay in Shoku.

To repay him for his kindness, Totaku had decided she would serve him as his own personal maid. Kaku also became a maid so she could look after Totaku. In addition, Totaku had allowed Nagata to call her by her true name.

"Arigato, Yue," Nagata smiled.

"The pleasure is all mine, Gaim-sama," Totaku spoke softly.

"Oh, almost forgot." Nagata handed Totaku a letter. "It's from Hideyoshi." Totaku's eyes brightened and she took the letter. She quickly read its contents and smiled. Her friends had gone traveling together and were alright. She was worried, though. The two that Hideyoshi had gone traveling with were Kayu and Kenshin. They were impulsive and might drag her beloved advisor into trouble. Fortunately, she knew Hideyoshi had a good head on his shoulders. Unfortunately, he was outnumbered and both generals could persuade him into doing something that might cause trouble. Still, it was nice to hear from him as he sent letters frequently, reporting on how he was doing.

Right now, she was reading about their most recent misadventures.

* * *

"We…are totally lost!" groaned Hideyoshi. Traveling was supposed to be easy. Before leaving Shoku, Hideyoshi had gotten a map that will show them any routes or shortcuts to make their travel easier. That was until his partner lost the map.

"CANNONBALL!"

A loud splash was heard and water splashed onto the Ultimate Hammer who then glared back at the perpetrator. It was his partner, Ushio Kenshin who was swimming carefree in a small lake. Hideyoshi saw Kayu placing her feet inside the lake as well.

"This feels so good," Kayu commented.

Kenshin spat some water and noticed his brown haired friend's solemn face. "Come on Hideyoshi, join the fun."

"Fun?" Hideyoshi repeated. "We are lost in the middle of nowhere!"

"Dude, that's the seventeenth time you said that."

"Well, I wouldn't have to if you hadn't lost the map."

Immediately, Kenshin went defensive. "Hey, I already told you. A bird took it."

"Yes, I remember what you said quite well." Hideyoshi tell the tale, "You were wandering away from the group with not a care in the world. Along the way, you stumbled upon some girls. You then walked up to these girls, boasting about your incredible journey across China, with the goal of defending the innocent from the villainy of the RinJyuKen Akugata and the Armored War Devils. Then when you showed the map to those girls, all of a sudden an ostrich came and ate the map."

"It's the truth!" Kenshin cried out.

"Ostriches don't live in China!"

"Whatever," Kenshin puffed. He swore if he ever see that ostrich again, he'll fry it up like chicken.

Kayu finally said something, "Maybe instead of arguing, we should find shelter." She looked at the dark clouds not far from where they were. "Looks like a storm is coming."

While the oasis was relaxing, it had not so much resources such as food and shelter.

Hideyoshi and Kenshin sighed and reluctantly agreed. "Fine."

* * *

An hour passed and the three continued marching through the desert. There was no human settlement for miles. All they saw was sand, sand and more sand. They did find a human skull but that was it. Kenshin was the first to crack.

He kept repeating, "Are we insane yet? Are we insane yet? Are we insane yet? Are we insane yet? Are we insane yet?"

"I told you, YES!" Hideyoshi shouted in annoyance.

Kenshin's lips were getting dry. Cracks were forming. "Hideyoshi, I'm…dehydrated."

"I'm surprised you know what that meant." Hideyoshi took out a small canteen and gave it to Kenshin who pour some water onto himself.

"Much better." Kenshin felt the water revitalizing his lips. He then gave the canteen to Kayu.

"Well, better make it count because that's all the water we have left," said Hideyoshi who received his canteen back.

"Hey look, up ahead," Kenshin pointed. "What is that?"

Hideyoshi turned to the direction his partner was pointing. They saw something from the distance.

Kayu narrowed her eyes. The image was forming. When it did, she gasped, "That's…a jungle!"

"We found a jungle! Come on! Let's go!" Hideyoshi cheered. The jungle was a great place to stay. It has food, water and shelter.

Kenshin paused a bit. "Jungle? You mean jungle with trees? Like trees with monkeys?"

Hideyoshi replied, "I don't know. Why? Are you afraid of monkeys or something?"

Kenshin tried to make an excuse. "Afraid of monkeys? No. Why would I be afraid of monkeys? And why would you even ask that question? Were there monkeys or something? That's kind of a weird thing to ask just for no reason."

Hideyoshi pinched his nose before he spoke calmly, "Look, even if there are monkeys in the jungle, we have weapons and body armor. What can a 17 pound primate do?"

There was silence for a while and Kenshin responded, "...So you're saying there are monkeys?"

"Fine, yes! There are monkeys!"

"I am not going into that jungle!"

"We're going into that jungle, even if I have to drag your stubborn ass to do it!"

"No!" Kenshin tried to flee but Hideyoshi and Kayu caught him. "The monkeys! They'll eat your face! They'll eat your naughty bits!"

"Move!"

When they were within the jungle, Kenshin struggled more.

Kenshin had to think of something. Otherwise, the evil monkeys will fell upon him. Suddenly, he had one and smiled to Hideyoshi. "Hey, you know what else might be in the jungle? Spiders."

"You're an asshole, why would you bring up spiders?" Hideyoshi stopped, having changed his tone a bit upon hearing the word 'spiders'. He even let go of Kenshin.

"I'm just saying. I know you don't like spiders, and spiders like to hang on trees, and we are in a jungle, and spiders like to crawl right up next to people when they're asleep, and then they-" But before he could finished his sentence, his partner fled from the jungle.

"OK, fine! We'll make shelter someplace else!" Hideyoshi shouted. The boy quickly distanced himself away from the jungle while Kenshin smirked at this.

"Works every time." Kenshin followed his friend. Kayu stared at this before facepalming.

* * *

Totaku was giggling after reading the letter. She had to admit, that was quite funny. Kaku on the other hand just sweatdropped.

"You know, I'm really not so surprised that those two would cause him so much trouble," sighed Kaku. Kaku, who had been reading over Totaku's shoulder, could only sigh in exasperation. She and Hideyoshi had grown close and while Hideyoshi was her junior, he had learnt of the burdens of being an advisor surrounded by impulsive generals who while strong, thinking things through were not something they excelled at. She was rather sympathetic over Hideyoshi's plight. At least he was alive. It would be very bad if he had died since Totaku would become miserable due to the news.

* * *

After having an enjoyable breakfast, everyone went outside and Nagata was surprised. Nagata looked at the village and found it to be livelier than usual. He saw the villagers putting up decorations. The children were with their mothers drawing pictures of him and his fellow Armored War Gods in their Arms armor.

His confusion stopped when Komei arrived, accompanied by the Chief.

"Shuri, what is going on?" asked Nagata.

Komei replied to him, "They are preparing for the first ever Blossom Festival, Nagata-sama."

"Blossom Festival?" Nagata questioned.

The Chief was next to explain to his God, "Yes, to commemorate your noble deeds, the villagers and I decided to hold a festival in you and your brothers' honor."

"Wow, I don't know what to say," Nagata replied as he rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. He had never in a million years dreamed that a festival would ever be held in his honor. In his lifetime, the biggest celebration ever held in his honor had to be the one he got for winning the kendo tournament.

Chou'un patted Nagata's back. "Don't be so modest, Nagata-sama. If it weren't for you and the Armored War Gods, Chojo would've probably taken over the entire land."

"I guess. I only did what needed to be done, that's all," Nagata remarked. He looked at the preparations. They were good but maybe they needed a little more to make it even better.

"Hey, mind if I help out?" He knew a thing or two about decorating during holidays.

"Of course, your guidance will help us make this festival worthy of you," delighted the Chief. Behind him, the villagers had heard that and were beyond excited.

* * *

Everything was proceeding better than expected thanks to the extra help. As everyone continued to setting up the festival, a horse carriage entered the town.

Few others including Ryuubi noticed it. The carriage stopped as Komei walked towards it. Based on the conversation, it seemed the coachman asked Komei for directions. When she did, the coachman thanked the girl and moved on.

When it passed Ryuubi, she noticed from behind the carriage that there were books inside it. She walked up to Komei and asked, "Komei-san, why was that man talking to you?"

"He wanted to ask where he should unload the books," Komei answered.

"Books? Why?"

Komei just remembered. Ryuubi wasn't present in that meeting. She properly explained to her, "After the battle at Korou, the Alliance sent a team to Rakuyo and find anything that can be salvaged from the ruins. It was a grueling task but the only items that were still intact were at the palace. We recovered much from it. Following that day, we had a meeting and unanimously decided that the items should be divided amongst ourselves and we have the best. One of those recovered items were the palace's archives."

Komei's eyes sparkled. The archives contained almost unlimited information about China. History, locations and many more and she's going to enjoy every bit of it.

"That's our Komei," Chou'un chuckled. "Ready to indulge herself with something new to read upon. Although I'm quite disappointed it wasn't something erotic."

Komei blushed upon hearing that. "Hawawawa!"

"It's a good thing we could save all these books. Knowledge is power after all," Ryuubi said proudly. "I think Nagata-sama would be pleased with this acquisition."

"Well, if one of those books contains a collection of menma-related recipes I wouldn't complain," added Chou'un.

"I can't wait to study them!" Komei nodded excitedly. As this occurred, Chou'un noticed a small group. Among them was Kanu.

"Where are you going Kanu?" asked Chou'un.

"I'm following the group that collects ingredients from the forest," Kanu spoke but upon hearing this, Chou'un turned ghastly pale.

Chou'un gulped as she asked, "Are you saying that you're going to collect ingredients?"

"Yes," Kanu answered.

"Bring them back here?"

"Yes."

"And...cook?"

One silent moment passed, Kanu finally realized why Chou'un was acting this way and she defended herself, "My cooking skills have been improving with Shuri and Shion's help!"

"Yes, but I feel much better if it was Nagata-sama's cooking," Chou'un responded. Their lord made great meals when it was his turn to cook. It came from his background since he learnt how to cook from his parents.

Kanu knew that but since the Blossom Festival was to honor her love and the Armored War Gods, she decided that she would be the one to provide Nagata food for once. He truly deserved it.

As Kanu left, Chou'un left too, deciding to prepare the pails for that eventual expulsion.

* * *

"Everyone looks so happy," Iori observed as preparations were underway.

"Indeed, Airen," agreed Kochu. "This entire festival is after all in your honor."

"I never would've thought that anyone would hold a festival just for us," Iori replied.

"It's because Daddy's a hero!" Riri smiled cheerfully. Iori smiled back. He and the other Armored War Gods had indeed defeated Chojo. Actually, Gridon and Gaim had landed the killing blow. However, they had done so much for the sake of the land.

This place was his home now and he had made it his duty to protect it. It was full of such warmth and the people treated him well. He made real friends here and there were no such rivalries like at his school and none of the cold indifference like he had experienced from his..._parents_.

He wondered how they were doing though.

"You know, we could send a message to your brother and have him attend the festival," Kochu suggested.

"That sounds good," Iori agreed. It would be nice to see the Nanban Barbarians too. Riri seemed to have grown very close to those four girls and had become great friends.

* * *

Returning to Nagata, he was assisting the villagers in building a float. He gave the idea of using flowers so that it'll be beautiful. The villagers didn't waste any time doing it. They were determined not to let their Gaim-sama down.

"Alright, Rinrin. I need you to put these ribbons up on the trees," Nagata instructed as he handed the redhead the ribbons.

"You got it, Onii-chan!" Chouhi saluted.

"Looks like the float is coming along nicely," admired Bacho.

"Yeah, it is," Nagata smiled. "Never really expected anyone to hold a festival in my honor." Bacho punched his arm. "Hey, what was that for?"

"Just to remind you that you're someone special to everyone here," She told him. "Even me," she whispered, blushing.

"Huh?" Nagata asked.

"Oh, nothing!" Bacho shook her head.

"Nagata-niichan!" Hearing Rinrin's voice, Nagata turned around and gasped.

"What the-" Nagata stared at Chouhi whose body was wrapped around with the long ribbon. How was that possible? He just turned away for a few seconds.

She jumped frantically. "I can't get out!"

"Okay, hold still." She complied and Nagata grabbed one end of the ribbon. He pulled hard and Chouhi began to spin around like a spinning top. Once she stopped spinning, she became dizzy and nearly fell over. Nagata caught her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Onii-chan, how come there's two of you...?" she asked. Nagata chuckled and carried her over to set her down against a tree to rest. He could finish up where she left off for her.

* * *

After finishing Chouhi's task, Nagata stopped and turned to look at the villagers. They worked tirelessly showing so much dedication to the work. This was their gift to him. His friends were right. He meant a lot to them. The festival revived a memory. When he was little, his parents always took him to see the parade. Every year, there was always a surprise. Remembering this, Nagata had an idea.

"Bacho, you take care of things here. I need to do something." Bacho followed Nagata's order and he left. Bacho raised an eyebrow, wondering what her leader was up to.

* * *

Nagata had something special planned for the parade. He was going to put on a show for the villagers and the people visiting for the festival. He had sent the maids to gather flowers for him and once they were done he had an entire sack filled with flowers.

"What will you do with them, Gaim-sama?" one of the maids asked as Nagata put the sack over his shoulder.

"Oh, it's a surprise."

* * *

Everyone restlessly continued their work. Bacho and Chou'un supervised the float which now looked magnificent. Ryuubi, Ryofu and Riri along with the other children had just completed drawing a large portrait of Gaim. Kanu and her group had just returned from the forest, carrying the ingredients to make the feast but may need to go back in case what they had wasn't enough. Suddenly, the booming voice of their divine god attracted them.

"Everyone, now it's time for me to give you a show!" Nagata declared loudly and boldly as he picked up the sack and activated his Suika Lockseed. "Henshin!"

"**SUIKA!"**

The Helheim portal opened and the Suika Arms Armor Part hovered over him before he loaded the Lockseed and hit the Cutting Blade.

"**LOCK ON! SOIYA! SUIKA ARMS! ODAMA BIG BANG!"**

The crowd cheered as the Suika Arms came down and then transformed into its flying form.

"**GYRO MODE!"**

"Now, please enjoy!" Gaim declared as he took off into the sky.

"What is he doing?" Kanu wondered as Gaim took off. Piloting the Suika Arms, Gaim smiled as he looked down at the villagers. He wanted to see their reactions. He then started to perform a few aerial loop-de-loops. The children seemed to enjoy it as they cheered. Then, he dove straight for the ground and people screamed as they thought he would crash. Before he hit the ground, he performed a sharp ascent that made many sigh in relief.

"I thought he was going to crash," Ryuubi commented.

Gaim continued to fly, performing death-defying aerial feats.

"Now, the finale," Gaim spoke as he opened up the sack. He held it down as he flew over the people and beautiful flower petals rained down on them. The crowd cheered as Gaim did this. It was truly a beautiful sight.

"What a showoff," Iori remarked as Riri tried to catch some of the falling petals.

"Well, you have to admit, he knows how to put on a show," Kochu smiled.

The Suika Arms landed and Gaim banished the armor as he landed on his feet. He was surrounded by his friends who began to praise his performance.

"That was incredible, Nagata-sama!" Komei praised.

"You were going zip and zoom all over the sky!" added Chouhi.

"So, this was the performance you had planned," Chou'un remarked.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you. I just wanted it to be a surprise," he admitted.

"But, just so you know, you'll have to clean up this mess too, Nagata-sama," Kanu pointed out as the village was littered with flower petals.

"I promise."

Kanu and the rest left to continue their work. Right after they did, Nagata suddenly felt dizzy. His movement unsteadily and his vision began to blur. He then felt a loss of balance but quickly maintained it as he hold onto it.

"What's going on?" Nagata said to himself as he closed his eyes.

_After a short while, the headache starts to fade away and Nagata felt better. What a relief it was for him. He then opened his eyes and was shocked. What was shocking was that...this was not Shoku. He was in a forest._

_Before he could contemplate on this, Nagata heard a loud boom. Curious on what that was, he rushed to the source. After a short run, he exited out of the forest and stop at the edge of a cliff where he finally saw it._

_Below him, he saw a massive battle of epic proportions taking place in the ruins of some sort. Gigantic creatures, a bird and a scorpion were fighting eight human teens._

_Much to Nagata's surprise, the humans were faring well against their larger opponents. While Nagata did witnessed Kanu and the others doing impressive feats, it was still surprising for him. The teens below later split into teams, comprising of four each. One team managed to send the giant scorpion to its death._

_The giant bird battled the second team. He watched in amazement. After a blonde girl brought the bird down, the white haired girl freezes the monster's tail. Using the black haired bowed girl's weapon and the white haired girl's magic symbol, the girl with the red hood was sent flying towards the bird. The girl with the red hood astounded Nagata the most._

_She caught the bird by the neck using her scythe. She ran up the cliff and when she reach the top, she decapitated the bird, killing it. Nagata's mind was blown because he had never seen anyone other than Chouhi, Kyocho and Ten'i to wield such strength despite being of a very young age._

_Nagata later thought of something else as he narrowed his eyes at the red hooded girl who stood victorious._

But before he could looked at this any further, he gasped as he found himself back in Shoku. He looked around, the villagers were continuing to setting up the festival.

Nagata massaged his head. What were they? Visions?

* * *

A few hours later, Nagata returned home and soon practiced kendo to keep his skills sharpened.

After taking one final swing, Nagata took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. Whatever Nagata saw, it really affected him. It didn't felt fake. It felt real.

And that girl. The girl with the red hood. There was something familiar about her.

* * *

Nagata let out a yawn as he put down his brush. "Finished!" He stretched his arms and rubbed his shoulders. Paperwork was always a chore, but as Governor of Shoku it was a job he needed to do. Before he even realized it, it had gotten dark.

He let out a sigh. Long ago, he desired to return back home to his family. His wish was granted when Ukitsu, ally of the RinJyuKen and Armored War Devil sent him and others like himself back to their original world.

While it was great that he could get to hug his mother or help his father out in cooking dishes again but the time he spent at the Three Kingdoms caused a change in his heart. He couldn't leave the friends he had made to a terrible fate. So, he decided to go back.

He had given up a lot to return here, but it was worth it. His adopted parents would miss him, but they would get over it. They were strong people and would understand why he did what he did. Though, he regretted not being able to tell them goodbye in person. He had done it in a letter because he knew if he had gone up to them and tell them that he would be going away, he may not be able to find the strength to leave. Also, Yang would try to stop him from going. After losing her sister, she never wanted to lose another loved one again.

Yang's sister was also Nagata's biological mother. Yang didn't know it but Nagata had regained some of his memories after the accident which had given him amnesia. That was because Yang told Nagata about her sister. Yang claimed Ruby was Nagata's aunt but the truth was that Yang was really his aunt. Yang simply couldn't let Nagata go on without knowing about his real mother, even if she had to lie about their relationship. Nagata was grateful for that. Sure, his aunt had lied to him, but she believed she was doing it for a good reason so he forgave her.

"Nagata-sama, it's dinnertime," Kanu called as she entered his office.

"Oh, Aisha," Nagata smiled. "I wanted to talk to you."

"About what?" Kanu asked.

"Have I ever told you about my mother?" he asked.

"Yes, you did," she answered.

"Have I told you about my _real_ mother?" he asked again and Kanu looked at him in confusion. "Aisha, the woman I told you about was my adopted mother, my aunt to be more precise. She adopted me after my real parents died."

"Oh," Kanu responded, surprised and unable to say anything in response to that. It was a huge surprise for her. She never knew this and now he was telling her.

"After the accident that took my real parents from me, I suffered a head injury that made me forget them. My aunt and uncle adopted me and since I couldn't remember my real parents, they claimed me as their own son. I didn't think much of it, being a kid," he told her.

"So your aunt and uncle raised you," Kanu summarized.

"Yeah, they did. Anyway, my adopted-I mean my Mom told me about my real mother. They were sisters. Yeah, she had to lie and told me she was my aunt, but she never wanted me to grow up never knowing about her. Though, I kept getting these dreams. I saw my real mother and myself in them. I usually forgot them but they were recurring. I never told Mom though. I didn't want her to worry. Then I overheard them talking about telling me the truth. Then it all made sense."

"Are you upset with your adopted parents?" Kanu asked.

"I could never be upset with them after all they've done for me. Yes, they lied to me, but for a good reason. At least Mom told me about my real mother," Nagata answered.

"What was your mother like?" Kanu asked.

"From my Mom's stories, you could say she was kinda like me. She obsessed about heroes and wanting to make a change in the world. That's why she became a teacher. She wanted to inspire children so that they could create a better tomorrow," Nagata told Kanu.

"What was her name?" Kanu asked.

Nagata took a deep breath before he gave his answer. "Her name was..."

* * *

**World of Remnant**

"Ruby!" A shout so loud echoed the room. Consequently waking up a young girl who had dozed off in class.

"Uh what?" murmured Ruby who had drool on her mouth. She looked around and found a slightly irritated Weiss beside her.

Weiss voiced, "Class is over! Come on, it's time to go!"

Ruby yawned. While she tried to pay attention, Prof. Port's lectures were sometimes boring. Even if it was Grimm Studies, which was supposed to be interesting, Prof. Port's lectures were about his younger days as a Hunter. She really did try, though. She even drank extra coffee to get through the day.

As for her 'nap', she had a dream. A dream about riders wearing masks who fought monsters. It was a strange dream but she couldn't help but find it totally cool. After a few minutes packing her stationary, Ruby got up and followed her classmate out of the classroom.

* * *

Meanwhile somewhere outside and far from the kingdoms stood a mountain...or what used to be a mountain. For untold years, the mountain stood grand, watching those below it but that all changed when some mysterious force caused the large landform to collapse. All that's left of the mountain was rubble. It just remained where it was. Motionless…

**BOOM!**

…until now. A huge explosion blew at the middle, opening a hole. The dust soon cleared. Then, dark figures emerged out of the hole. They observed their surroundings. They could tell that they were not where they once were. They were somewhere else. With that, they roared to the skies.

* * *

**GKoh: Here it is folks, the first chapter of the first ever Armored War Gods movie plus crossover. Hope it does not disappoint. Anyway if you remember in the last chapter, I stated that basically all the Armored War Gods are the children of alternate version of anime characters. So why did I bring that up now? Because if you scroll down to the very bottom, you'll see bios of the parents and in every chapter, I will provide these bios. So while waiting for the next chapter, leave your theories on who are the parents of the Armored War Gods. Bye Bye.**

**KRC: Hi, this is Kamen Rider Chrome, a 10 year veteran on the sight whose forte is Kamen Rider crossover fanfics. The Armored War Gods Saga is my latest work which I collaborated with Ten-Faced Paladin. Four seasons have been published so far and now my friend GKoh is writing a movie fic. Not only that, it's a crossover with RWBY! Honestly, I never planned on this but it seemed like an awesome idea so I gave him the OK. Also, I didn't have much of a plan for Nagata's family, but then GKoh made suggestions and I went with it and it's all good. He also made trailers to promote this story and I'm amazed that he did so well. OK, so, this takes place in Season 5 of the Armored War Gods Saga, sometime after chapter 2. Anyway, enjoy and please review and give feedback. While things like 'good job' and 'you wrote an awesome chapter' encourages us to continue, good and honest feedback helps us improve. Just no flaming and trolling. In other words, no fire trolls.**

**BL92: Alright everyone, it's time to bring out the first chapter of the first ever Armored War Gods movie! YAY! Also I would like to thank you for being very patient with us. And one other thing to all readers who didn't read the movie trailer in chapter 16 at the end of S4 and confuse about Ruby as Nagata's mom, that trailer is not a typo. It's the real deal. I can assure you that Ruby is truly Nagata's real mother and this chapter will put all your confusions to rest as you read the first chapter of this movie. So enjoy this movie story and hang on to your brains because this story will blow your mind into space by its PURE AWESOMENESS! So here's a bit of a warning for all you readers out there: don't lose your brains or have your heads explode by its bodaciousness either way. You have been warned. Oh, and one more thing: lights, camera, ACTION!**

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:**

**Seiya Fuma (AU counterpart of Seiya Kanie from **_**Amagi Brilliant Park**_**): **Seiya Fuma is the father of Natsu Fuma and Fuyu Fuma. Seiya Fuma is also the manager of Amagi Brilliant Park, an amusement park widely known for its fantasy theme. Years ago, Seiya was once a child actor before he retired a few years later due to unknown reasons. At his teen years, he was offered a job to manage Amagi Brilliant Park, which at that time was nearing shutdown. After carefully thinking and being threatened at gunpoint by Isuzu, Amagi Brilliant Park's staff member and future wife, he reluctantly agreed. As a result, Seiya brought life back to the amusement park and it remained popular to this day, receiving almost 800,000 visitors per month.

**Isuzu Fuma** (**AU counterpart of Isuzu Sento** **from **_**Amagi Brilliant Park**_**): **Isuzu Fuma is the mother of Natsu Fuma and Fuyu Fuma. Isuzu Fuma is also a staff member of Amagi Brilliant Park, an amusement park widely known for its fantasy theme. A transfer student that mysteriously came out of nowhere, her beauty was widely praised by both boys and girls with the formers attempted to asked her out on a date only for her to turn them down hard. For some reason, she seemed only interested in one student, Seiya Fuma. Apparently, Isuzu sought Seiya out and asked him to run Amagi Brilliant Park which was almost on the verge of closing at the time. He agreed reluctantly and the park became a hit once more. During that time, Isuzu fell in love with Seiya who also shared the same feelings for her as well. They were married and Isuzu would give birth to their two sons.


	6. Stray

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 2: Stray**

**A Year Earlier**

Stories have existed after, during and even before mankind was created. It can range from a multitude of events such as the time when a child succeeded on the first time walking or the time when the child, now grown up was finally able to graduate. Indeed, stories have always been part of man's life and culture. However, what do you call a story that was grander among the rest? Legends.

Stories scattered through time. Many legends told of heartbreaking tragedies but there were also ones detailing of miracles where the impossible became possible like when two different species who drowned so long in each other's blood, united against a common enemy they both shared and as they fought together, they stumbled together into peace. While a few of these legends may be fakes but the impact they brought to those who read it were very much real. These readers were inspired and they ventured to places where some even found their true calling.

Another thing about legends was that they are unpredictable. They can come out of nowhere and it just so happens that right now, a new legend was about to be born.

* * *

For eons, the mantle of ruler has been passed on to many creatures. Arthropods were the first to hold it but the mantle would later be passed on to the amphibians, then the reptiles, then the birds and finally, mammals.

The mammals were unique compared to the others. One particular species of mammal, mankind was strong, wise and resourceful. Joining hand to hand, they united as one and did many astounding feats. They build massive cities, made devices that let them see in the night and invented things that allowed them to travel through land, air and sea. Thus, they wielded the mantle and were the dominant species of their planet.

That was true in other worlds but in this world, the mantle was given to another.

Mankind, born from dust entered this world like so many before but it was an unforgiving world. During the dawn of mankind's time, a great darkness revealed itself who not only took mankind's role as rulers but they threatened mankind's very existence, the creatures of Grimm.

The Grimm were beasts with monstrous savagery and an uncontrollable hunger for destruction. There were many questions about the Grimm but one thing was certain. They were bent on wiping out mankind and all of their creations. While mankind fought back valiantly, they were no matched against the Grimm's brutal might.

It seemed that their time was near and mankind will had no choice but to return back into the void. That it was until their passion, resourcefulness, and ingenuity led them to the tools that would helped even the odds, Dust.

Nature's wrath in hand, mankind's faith and hope were restored. They marched forth, lighting their way through the darkness. In the shadow's absence came strength, civilization, and most importantly, life.

However while mankind succeeded in building safe havens to populate and grow, they are still under threat by the Grimm who are waiting for the right opportunity to strike. Thus, they must always be on the lookout. Unfortunately, the story took place far away from civilization.

* * *

Beyond the walls and far away from the kingdoms, there was a forest. The land was filled with healthy green trees that stood tall as the wind blew against them. Below them, grass and flowers flourished. Deer and boars grazed in the forest while at the same time on the lookout for predators. Birds soared through the skies without a care in the world.

A beautiful sight it was. Then came the humans who were traversing through it. Humans could venture out of the walls but they must face the consequences that came with it. Many attempted and many never returned. Today, a new group dared. While the group comprised mostly of brutish folk, one was different among them.

He was Roman Torchwick, notorious criminal mastermind. He may looked like a gentleman but he was far from an actual one. He has a ten giraffe neck long rap sheet that may need another update as his latest ill deed was horrible fashion wear. It was not his fault entirely. Trekking through this forest has attracted the mud and twigs to stick on his nice clothes.

Roman mumbled like a disgruntled dog, seeing his clothes like this. Two days ago, his friend contacted him. He asked the criminal to journey outside the walls because he discovered something. Roman obviously refused at first but somehow his friend managed to talked him into it.

A big regret for Roman. Getting to where he was now was not a pretty sight. Roman was then thinking of something black hearted. He hoped that his friend's discovery was a good one or else he was going to kill him.

After about almost eighteen hours of walking, Roman and his men exited out of the forest and into a very thick mist. Thankfully, Roman's friend told him about this. He said to get through, they must followed a series of lights that were set up. They found them and continued on until they found the friend and his team.

"Roman!" The friend went in to give Roman a hug until Roman raised his hand in front of him.

Roman cried out, "No! No more messing of the suit."

Deciding to go topic, Roman's friend asked, "Okay, so how was your flight to here?"

"Well let's see," Roman sarcastically explained, "After flying passed the borders, we got attacked by a Nevermore whose big sharp feathers wrecked the wings of our ships and we crashed down, forcing us to go by foot."

"That's bad," the friend frowned while Roman rolled his eyes.

Roman continued, "Along the way to here, we accidentally entered a long grass and got ambushed by a pack of Beowolves. Sure it was easy taking them out but one of them tackled me into a mud pit. After that, we got caught in a landslide messing up my suit even more and I lost my hat in the process."

"That's really bad," replied Roman's friend.

Roman shook his fist in anger. "This was my favorite suit."

Roman's friend decided to change topic again. "Well, look on the bright side. At least you exercised and exercise is the key to a healthy body and flawless good looks."

Frustrated enough, Roman grabbed his friend's shirt and forcefully pulled him closer. "You better have a damn good explanation for making me come here or I'll…"

It was because of this that Roman's friend held his hands defensively. "Okay, I get it."

"Let me ask you a question," questioned the friend. "What do you see?"

"You infuriating me." Roman glared at his friend.

"Suppress your rage and extend your range, what do you see?"

Roman looked around. There was nothing. It took a while before it hit him. "There's…no Grimm."

The friend cheered, "Exactly, no teeth, no red eyes, nothing. That's why I called you here."

"The Grimm more or less ruled the entire world. I would have expected some Death Stalkers lurking about here."

"But they aren't," The friend replied. "The Grimm are keeping themselves far away from this place. It's like they're afraid of something."

'_That's impossible_,' Roman thought to himself. The Grimm were monsters of darkness. They have no souls. Thus, they cannot fear anything.

The friend escorted Roman who asked, "What do you think it is?"

"The boys and I are still theorizing but most likely it has to do with that." Roman's friend pointed what could be the reason. A huge mountain that towered above them all. The mountain was dark green-gray in color and deadly jagged all over giving it a sinister appearance but that was not the strange part. The strange part was that a complex of some sort was wedged against the mountain's side.

When they got close, Roman commented on the complex, "Looks like a…really old fort?"

"BOOM!"

Roman and his friend jumped when they heard a loud voice shouting boom. They turned around and saw a man with a punk hairstyle and twitchy eyes.

Roman's friend growled. "God damn it, Boom Boom! Don't sneak up like that!"

"Boom Boom?" Roman questioned.

The friend rubbed his neck as he explained, "Yeah, Boom Boom. He's our demolition expert."

Roman guessed what was next. "And let me guess. He got such a charming name because of the Semblance that matches?"

"No, because he always say 'Boom Boom'. Here, let me show you." The friend called his lackey, "Hey Boom Boom, what's our secure codeword?"

"Boom Boom!" shouted Boom Boom.

"See." the friend then whispered to Roman's ear, "By the way, the secure codeword is codeword."

"Cute," Roman sarcastically replied.

"Anyway, Boom Boom here just finished setting up the explosives on the fort's doors so that we can get inside."

Roman asked, "Why don't you just open the doors? It's that simple."

"You think we didn't try that? We tried pushing that damn thing and it won't budge. So, we went with the alternative," The friend smiled. "Beside, blowing shit up is awesome."

"Won't that explosion cause a rockslide?"

"You can't make an omelette without breaking a few eggs." The friend persuaded Roman, "Imagine Roman, some kind of anomaly is repelling the Grimm. Think of the benefits we could give to mankind and plus, the fame and the fortune. And all we need to do is blow these doors opened and find out what it is."

"Okay, you had me at fortune." Roman couldn't argue with that. He always loved money.

Soon, everyone began to back away from the mountain. Once they were at a safe distance, Roman's friend turned to Boom Boom who smiled deviously while holding the triggering device.

"Alright," the countdown commenced, "10, 9, 8..."

The men covered their ears.

"7, 6, 5..."

Roman was looking at his watch in boredom.

"4, 3…"

Boom Boom was ready, playing with his finger around the trigger.

"2…"

Suddenly before the man could finish the countdown, a loud creaking noise was heard. Roman's friend stopped counting and he and the others wondered where that was. They found it and it shocked them. At the mountain, the fort's doors has been mysteriously opened.

"I think we should hold off on the fireworks," Roman suggested.

The friend agreed. He turned to Boom Boom who wanted to know whether he could pressed it. "Sorry Boom Boom."

The friend gave Boom Boom a pat on the shoulder before taking the device from his hand.

He then gave the triggering device to Roman. "Take it. I don't want him to hold it."

Despite this, Roman reluctantly agreed before staring at the old fort. At first, he was filled with greed but now, he had this feeling something bad was about to happen.

* * *

Hours passed and silence reigned the area but before the silence, screams of horror filled the area.

Roman, his friend and their teams entered the fortress to find out what caused the Grimm to go away from the mountain but they found something much more.

Inside the fortress, black columns while aged were the only ones that supported the halls. The red carpets stretched far across. Portraits and drapes were hung on the walls with the portraits having blank images.

Then, Roman appeared. He was running. Sweat was all over him and he was breathing very heavily showing that he was using up a lot of his energy. As he ran, he held onto his flashlight and a brown sack that contained something.

His friends entered the fortress and for the past few hours, they found nothing. It seemed like this whole thing was a complete waste of time until they head up to the throne room where they found something of value. Alas, that was when things turned for the worst.

Their disturbance has awakened someone or something that had been slumbering inside the fortress for a very long time. They attacked the ones who intruded into their domain, picked them off one by one and mercilessly tore them to pieces. Only Roman was left. Left to be pursued by these killers.

Roman ran for his life for hours and he was unable to find the exit. He knew that the fort was big but he did not expect the inside to be bigger than the outside and not to mention, the inside was like a maze. "Who designed this place?" He wondered.

Hearing growling noises, he turned his head and saw his pursuers. Their glowing red eyes lacked jadedness and their snarls had no fatigue as they ran along the walls using their powerful claws. Seeing them, he ran faster.

Seeing the intruder further away, one of the pursuers leapt towards Roman and tackled the criminal to the ground. Roman gasped as the monster tried to bite his head off. Using what's left of his strength, he pushed the slimy beast away.

The monster's friends were not far behind, Roman took something out of his pocket. It was a vial of Dust. He kept a few just in case he encountered cops but this could apply to here as well.

Once they were close, Roman threw the vial towards them. He pointed his cane at it and fired. The shot hit the vial and an explosion occurred. The monsters were blown back and Roman smirked for a brief moment. The explosion had somehow destabilize the floor with cracks forming until it collapsed and Roman screamed as he fell.

Clouds were formed and disappeared minutes after. When they did, Roman was shown alive. He got up and made sure none of his body parts were disjointed. That fall was painful. He then finally noticed the light shining on him. He turned and found the exit.

A joy it was but it was cut short when Roman heard rumbling. He turned and not far away, noticed a pile of debris starting to move. Roman grimaced, realizing his pursuers were digging their way out of the rubble.

He need to think of something or else he's dead. He remembered something. His friend gave him Boom Boom's trigger. He now had an idea. Roman rushed to the exit just as their claws began to pop up from the pile.

Roman got out of the fortress and halted when he was sure he was far away. He saw the monsters exited out of the doors and they roared at him in anger. It did not worked as they saw Roman showing a dark smirk along with a trigger on his hand. They wondered why until one of them noticed the explosives attached near the doors.

The man pressed the trigger and snarled. "Eat rubble, freaks!"

**BOOM!**

A bigger explosion occurred consuming the monsters and the fortress. Next came the rock slide that began covering the fortress. When the dust cloud died down, Roman lowered his arms. The fortress could not be seen anymore. Only the tons of rocks that took their place.

The criminal sighed in relief. He thought he was goner. Sure, his friend and his men met their untimely deaths but he could get new friends and new henchmen. All that matters was that he got out of that place alive.

RUMBLE!

Roman heard rumbling. He stared at the mountain. Boulders were rolling down as the mountain began to fell apart. It was not the only one. The ground he was standing on was also shaking. Roman gulped in fright. It was time to run again.

* * *

**Present Day**

_The first thing I saw was darkness. I hated the dark because it was what the Grimm represents. Fortunately, I was strong which means I can overcome it. Finally, I did._

_I groaned as I opened my eyes. The next thing I saw was light shining on my face. A little too bright for me. So, I pulled myself up. After sweeping the dust out of my clothes, I stretched my muscles._

_It was weird that the lights were on. I could have sworn that they were off. That was when I looked around and learned why. It wasn't the lights of my dorm room that shine on me, it was the light from the moon. And I'm not in my room, I'm outside in a forest...during the night._

_Before I could think about this more, I heard a loud boom. I got curious and I went to find it. It didn't take long as there was a clear path. I got out of the forest and stopped at the edge of the cliff. Below, I saw something terrible._

_A huge army was attacking a village. The village did have a huge wall to protect them but it won't last long. A bad time that I didn't have my Crescent Rose with me. But it didn't matter. I'm a Huntress and my job was to protect the innocent above all else._

_I jumped down and rushed to confront the bad guys. I attacked one of them but when I did, I phased right through him._

"_What," I gasped. "How?"_

_I went to hit another bad guy and I had the same thing. I couldn't touch any of them. What should I do? How can I fight the army if I can't even touch them? The village was doomed._

_But just when I was about to lose hope, I saw the biggest of the attackers being tossed into the air and slammed against his pals. I paused for a while before I turned around. That's when I saw him._

_It was that swordsman from my other dreams which can only mean one thing, I'm dreaming. It all made sense now._

_I focused on the armored swordsman who rushed into battle. The swordsman looked like a samurai from those old books I read. While his armor was threatening, the colors of orange and blue gave him a heroic feel. When the bad guys charged at him with their weapons, he took out his two swords and sliced the weapons up before using several kicks that sent the wielders to the ground._

_More were approaching the swordsman. So, he pressed a lever on his belt which caused one of his weapons to give an orange glow. When they were near, he swung and released a wave of energy that destroyed them._

"_Wow." My mouth was wide opened._

_Luckily, he wasn't fighting alone. More fighters entered the battle. Most of them were women. I smiled very big._

_I saw a black haired woman swinging her green spear down and taking out as many baddies she could find. She was cool. I love her black hair and that gorgeous spear of hers._

_I saw a blue haired woman leaping off the roof and smacking her feet against one of the bad guy's face. That's gotta hurt._

_I also saw a girl, shorter than me I might add, just plowed through an entire horde and boastfully shouted, "Who else wants to fight Rinrin!". It was awesome. Cheers for the short people._

"_KILL THOSE BASTARDS!"_

_Next thing that happened were archers lining up and ready to fire but only to receive arrows on their arms. I looked up and saw a purple haired woman stationed at a tower, using her own bow and arrows to give those archers a taste of their own medicine._

_The men in robes then climbed up the village walls but they didn't get far as purple shots hit them and they exploded into dust. Those shots belong to an armored gunslinger. Unlike the swordsman, the gunslinger's armor was purple and green and had a design that made me be reminded of Yang._

_Two more arrived to help. One had brown hair and rode a horse while the other was an armored lancer who rode a motorcycle. His armor, resembling a knight was red and yellow. The lancer leapt off his bike and plunged his lance into the ground. Then, giant bananas burst out and hit the evil people._

_Wait a minute? Giant Bananas?_

_When that was done, the three armored warriors and the women converged to one another and they assembled. I was grinning through the entire thing. It was so super cool. It's just like the stories I read where the great heroes united to fight a great evil._

_After seeing these heroes kicking butts for a while, I turned my attention to the swordsman. Many of these dreams showed these masked riders but I had more dreams focused on him. To be honest while the swordsman's armor and weapons were something I would swoon over, I was strangely focused solely on the swordsman himself. There was something about him. I felt…connected with him._

_Before I could think about this more, things got weirder. After the armored swordsman defeated a few enemies, he then turned to stare at...me? That never happened before. I turned around just to be sure there wasn't anyone behind me but there was no one. Could he...see me?_

_I got my answer when he walked towards me. I was getting a little scared. Did he think I was in league with those bad guys? My mind was swirling from this development. I took a few steps back but he was getting closer._

_He arrived and looked at me._

_How did I respond? I nervously waved my hand and said, "Hi."_

_The armored swordsman then slowly lifted his arms and reached out to me. He touched my face which kinda made me blushed._

_Then, the warrior pinched me._

"_OW!"_

* * *

"OW!" Ruby yelled as she opened her eyes. She still felt her cheeks being pinched. Her vision began to clear and revealed the one who was pinching her was her older sister, Yang.

Ruby glared at Yang. "Yang, why are you pinching me?"

Yang admitted, "You were so cute at the moment, I couldn't resist."

Ruby's face puffed as she continued rubbing her cheeks.

Yang asked, "Had a good nap, sis?"

Ruby replied, "Well, yes but no at the same time. I had a really weird dream."

"Was it the dream with the giant cookies?" Yang smirked.

"No!" Ruby quickly objected. "It was that dream with the masked riders again."

Yang knew about that dream because Ruby regaled about it so many times. Men who masked themselves in armor and rode on high-tech motorcycles. They defended the weak and fought evil monsters and defeating them with their powerful kicks. Attacks also included punches and more depending on the situation. Yang honestly thought it sounded like something from a show she and Ruby watched when they were little. It had lots of explosions.

Yang said, "You know Ruby, you've been getting these dreams for a while now. Was it something you ate?"

Ruby thought about it and replied, "I don't think so. I ate the usual. Although I did had this sandwich. It had strawberry, chocolate and sheep stomach."

"Wait a minute, you had a sandwich with sheep stomach?" That last part had weirded the blonde girl out.

Ruby just shrugged. She thought it sounded like good food.

"I think there's another reason you were dreaming that?"

"Really? What is it?" Ruby wanted her sister's answer.

"You were thinking about _boys_." Yang gave a cheeky smile and Ruby blushed bright red hearing that.

Ruby cried out, "I wasn't thinking about boys! I'm pretty sure I wasn't thinking about the boy's sweat, the chest hairs or their third-"

"Ruby," Yang shushed her sister quietly. "You are a fifteen year old girl. Fifteen is the stage where a girl develops interests like the opposite sex. It's natural for you. Besides, don't you want to have kids one day?"

Ruby then jumped up out of bed. "Okay, let's not go to that?"

Yang laughed happily. She always loved to play with her sister.

Before any of this continued further, the door suddenly slammed open, surprising the two sisters and entering was their roommate/teammate Weiss Schnee who wore a white and light blue tracksuit.

Weiss shifted her eyes looking at Ruby and Yang to looking at Blake who was lying on her bed, reading a book and then returning to Ruby and Yang. "Ruby! Why are you still in bed?"

"I just got up…" Ruby didn't finish her sentence as Weiss threw the girl her red and black tracksuit. "Hey!"

"We're losing daylight here," Weiss claimed before she threw two more tracksuits to Yang and Blake.

"Okay, we lost one hour but fortunately, I prepared a list just in case of this situation." Weiss took out her 'list' and explained the plan, "At 9:15, we'll commence our daily training routine. We have to complete it in 40 minutes. So, we're just going to have to do the basics; push-ups and laps."

Ruby, Yang and Blake raised their eyebrows, the three were wondering whether Weiss was actually serious.

"At 9:55, we'll have our breakfast. To maintain our figures and health, we'll only take the basic food groups. None of that junk food like Marshmallow Flakes or Grandma Heyman's Famous Pies." Weiss continued discussing her plan to her team while her three teammates maintained their reactions when they first heard it.

Weiss resumed, "At 10:15, we'll do our homework. No need to worry about going to the library because I took the liberty in acquiring all the books necessary for our task. If everything goes as planned by 12:30, we will have completed 65% of our work."

"Wow Weiss, that's very nice of you." the confused Ruby scratched her head.

"Yeah, that's very cool." Yang tried her best to praise her roommate.

Blake just remained silent.

"Thank you," Weiss accepted the 'compliments'. "And with that done, that means we have the afternoon off to head to Vale."

The last part attracted their attention since they had their own plans on going to the city. Thinking about this further if they do what Weiss has planned out, they would have finished more than half of their homework and that meant extra relaxation time on the weekend once they fully completed the homework. Suddenly, they were more appreciative.

"Cool, I'm in," said Yang.

"I'm also in," Ruby positively agreed.

Blake said nothing.

* * *

After completing their exercise, had their breakfast and took their showers which annoyed Yang and Blake since they took their baths before the exercise and had to take another one, Ruby and her team were doing their homework. Ruby, Yang and Blake had to admit that Weiss' initiative in acquiring the books early really paid off. Weiss managed to finished her work at 65% but the others were not yet there.

After managing to finish 32% according to Weiss, Ruby decided to take a break from doing her homework and draw the weapons she saw from her dream and update her journal since she was very tired yesterday. Weiss objected it but Yang and Blake were able to convince her since after all, Ruby was the leader.

The word, leader mused Ruby. She never thought that she would be one but here she was leading a team and for months now.

Ruby remembered how it began. It all started at that one night. Although Vale was humanity's safe haven from the creatures of Grimm, it was never safe from humans' own violence. A criminal element popped up, began scaring away the citizens before attempting to rob a shop of Remnant's most important resource; Dust.

Fortunately when there was a villain, there was always a hero that stopped them. And who was that hero? Ruby Rose.

She intervened and stopped the criminals from succeeding on their evil deeds. Her actions had not gone unnoticed. Professor Ozpin, famed Huntsman and headmaster of Beacon Academy appeared before her. He saw what Ruby did and was impressed by her strength and courage. So impressed that he invited her to go to his school two years ahead. Her family was very proud of her, including her older sister, Yang, who was also going to Beacon.

It was there that Ruby and Yang got to meet their new teammates; the proud and elegant Weiss Schnee, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company and the quiet and mysterious Blake Belladonna. When the Initiation began, these four girls encountered many Grimm until they fought the ones of titanic proportions. It was there that these four came together.

When none of their attacks had any effect on the Nevermore, Ruby had a plan which was carried out most splendidly. Yang's strength brought the Nevermore to the ground. With that, Weiss used this opportunity to freeze the Nevermore's tail preventing it from escaping. Then, Blake proceeded to use her Gambol Shroud where she and Yang tied the weapon to two supports turning them into one big slingshot and Ruby was the one being slinged. Using Weiss' Semblance of glyphs, Ruby flew to the Nevermore like a missile. Having caught the avian with her Crescent Rose, Ruby ran up the cliff thanks to Weiss' glyphs where she fatally decapitated the beast.

Since then, the team composed of Ruby, Weiss, Blake and Yang became Team RWBY and their leader would be Ruby herself.

There were a few problems such as Weiss' initial refusal to accept Ruby as her leader, but all that was resolved and everything turned for the better.

Ruby loved weapons and she herself designed Crescent Rose, so she knew how to draw weapons in great detail. After each of the dreams she had, she couldn't help but draw them and in great detail. The drawings were kept in a folder in her desk drawer. Her most recent drawings were a staff, an axe and a cannon. Today, these were her latest drawings.

The women all wielded weapons ranging from bows and polearms but they weren't so simple. They were well-made and beautiful in their own way. Ruby couldn't help but admire them after she drew them. They were just so beautiful and looked like they would be at home at a museum like pieces of art.

The masked riders' weapons were no less amazing. A gun that fired dragons made of energy, a lance that could unleash energy projections to strike at opponents, and then there's the orange one who wielded two swords, one was an orange scimitar with an orange blade and a long sword that doubled as a gun.

Ruby sighed looking at them. She hopefully wished that the weapons she drew would one day actually be real so that she can study them and use them in combat since they were so cool to use.

* * *

After completing the tasks set up by Weiss or close to an acceptable level, the girls were walking down the hall to head out to Vale. They could see the hall was full of students.

"Man, this hall is packed," Yang commented.

"The Vytal Festival is coming soon," Blake replied. "I guess everyone wants to be ready for the tournament."

"Okay, Team RWBY, here's the plan," Weiss spoke once more taking out her list again. "When we arrived at the city, we'll head to the docks and-"

"Whoa," Yang butted in, "I am not going to the docks. I'm heading to the repair shop to check on my Bumblebee."

"Yeah," Ruby agreed. "I want to buy my favorite sweets. They all going to be sold out when the Vytal Festival arrived."

Blake then gave what she wanted to say, "And I need to go to the bookstore. The new novel I've been waiting for is finally out."

Ruby turned to Blake. "Is it the one about the cat in the boots?"

"Yes," Blake confirmed.

"What are you up to Weiss?" Yang further questioned her teammate but before there could be an answer to this, a shout was heard.

"Hey!"

They turned. It was Team JNPR. They were a team comprised of two boys and two girls. Team JNPR were great friends to Team RWBY. They know each other ever since the Initiation. It was led by Jaune Arc and the rest of the members were Pyrrha Nikos, Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren.

"Hey Ruby, Blake, Yang," Jaune smiled when he saw Weiss, "And hello Snow Angel."

Weiss muttered angrily, "You're in my atmosphere."

Ruby unknowingly interrupted. "How are you guys? We hadn't seen you for about a week."

Pyrrha explained, "That could be explained. We had to take the Rhodes training course."

When heard the name of the course, Jaune and Ren were already placing hands on either the shoulders or stomachs. The Rhodes training course was the most brutal training they had ever went through. There were rings of fire, giant stone fists, arrows, sharks and cheeseburgers with the latter made the two boys shudder. They could never look at another burger again. It made the battle against the Death Stalker look like washing a car.

"By Trainer Phil?" Ruby inquired. She heard that he was the one supervising this specific course.

"The one and only," Pyrrha replied.

Nora was next to ask, "So where are you four going?"

Weiss explained, "We are going to Vale to head to the docks."

Yang was about to butt in until Weiss continued, "And once that is done, we will separate and do our own personal activities."

After that, everyone was quiet. The silent breeze blew past them. That was all they had to say. Nora was the one who broke it, "Well if that's it, we should go."

"Yeah."

"Good idea."

"Thank you."

When Team RWBY left, Jaune asked his team, "Is it just me or does Team RWBY have a lot more stuff to do than us?"

"Pretty much," Ren answered.

"Most definitely," Nora added.

Pyrrha touched Jaune's shoulder to get his attention. "Speaking of stuff, let's go Jaune."

"Where are you two going?" Ren asked the two.

Jaune answered, "Pyrrha and I are going to do some more training. I'm totally sure I saw more hair popping up on my chest after the last one. Few more and I'll be a total hunk. Weiss will be so totally into me."

"Come on, lover boy," Pyrrha joked as she grabbed Jaune's arm.

After Jaune and Pyrrha left, Nora was about to leave next only to be grabbed by Ren who glared at her. "And just where do you think you're going?"

Nora smiled nervously. "Just going to head back to my room of course silly."

"We have cleaning duty," Ren reminded his childhood friend as he pulled a mop completely out of nowhere.

"Oh man!" Nora grumbled. She wished she had the other stuff that Team RWBY had.

* * *

Team RWBY continued walking. Weiss was happy that it was over which meant they can continue to Vale until Ruby stopped to notice a certain Rabbit Faunus who was talking to the new professor.

Faunus were a race similar to humans. However there was one critical difference, the Faunus possessed animal traits. They could have horns, claws, animal ears alongside the normal ones or tails. Relations between humans and Faunus were stable but due to the latter's increasing desire for equality, numerous revolts were reported. Thankfully, those who were not part of the revolts were getting along well with humans. Velvet was among them.

Ruby waved to the teenager. "Hi Velvet!"

Velvet greeted in return. "Team RWBY, how pleasant to meet you all."

"You're looking very chirpy," Yang commented. "Cardin and his team didn't bother you today?"

Velvet replied, "Actually, they haven't bothered me for some time."

"Really?" Ruby questioned. "When did that happened?"

Velvet thought, placing her finger on her chin. "Hmmm. Well if I remembered correctly, I believed it was the day after I told my team about the bullying."

**Months ago**

"A little higher, a little higher," Coco ordered Fox and Yatsuhashi who were pulling a rope. "Okay, stop."

The two did and with that, their masterpiece was complete. Hanging and tied up to the ceilings, wearing nothing but their undershorts were Cardin Winchester and his team.

"Perfect," Coco smirked. When Velvet told them about Cardin's non-stop bullying on her, Coco had to take action and deliver rightful retribution. No one messed with her friends.

Cardin tried to shout at them but the duct tape that covered his mouth left him unable to.

"What's that?" Coco held her hand behind her ear to try to _hear_. "I can't hear you, speak up."

* * *

The professor was next to speak, "As long as they _hang around_ somewhere else instead of you and any other student, the problem is resolved."

"You're quite right Miss Tenmaru," Velvet agreed.

"Miss Tenmaru, how are you doing in Beacon?" Ruby turned to Miss Tenmaru.

"Well I have to admit, I would have never thought I would have such an honor to teach here but here I am," admitted Tenmaru.

"Oh, that reminds me." Ruby was about to ask until Tenmaru spoke up.

"Yes Ruby, the class on the plasma gun is still on next week."

Hearing that, Ruby was grinning wide like crazy. Ran Tenmaru was a new professor who joined Beacon a few weeks ago. Her field was on weapon designs and the history of weapons development. Ruby loved going to her class and so did everyone in Beacon. Ever since she came, many of the students developed either admiration or affection towards her with the latter having the most majority due to her looks.

"Can I have extra classes with you?" For some reason, Ruby turned into a small, chibi version of herself and her eyes turned into hearts. Yang watched and sighed at Ruby. Her little sister was too passionate on weapons.

Ran giggled as she patted the young girl's head. "You're such a sweet girl Ruby. You know, you remind me of a student of mine back in the school I once teached. He was hardworking and has this passion for heroes from the old tales much like you are. You two would have gotten along so well."

Before this could go on any further, Weiss coughed and showed her watch. "That's truly interesting Miss Tenmaru but as much as I loved to hear more, we regrettably have another matter of interest to attend to. So, we need to head out as quickly as possible.

"I see," Ran said. "In that case, go posthaste."

"Bye Miss Tenmaru. Bye Velvet." Team RWBY waved bye to the two and left.

"Oh, Ruby. If you want, I could arrange a meeting between you and my student." When the girls were out of range, Ran gave a mysterious smile before turning her attention to Velvet once more.

* * *

"Weiss, that was very rude," Yang angrily voiced out.

"We are losing light here," Weiss defended herself. It was true that it was wrong to do that but this was important for Weiss.

"It's only 12:45," Blake revealed but Weiss did not pay attention to it.

As they walk, something was happening with Ruby. She felt like she was carrying more than usual. She checked around herself and finally touched something that was on her belt. She grabbed it and examined it. It looked like some sort of padlock. It was blank, dull and grey and the only intriguing feature about it was that it had a seed like design with the words L.S.-? on the front.

Yang soon noticed the small item her sister was holding. "Hey Ruby, what do you got there?"

"I don't know." Ruby didn't remember taking this with her. However, that will have to wait since Weiss was urging them to keep moving. Ruby attached the padlock to her belt and continued forward.

Finally, they exited out of the school. Outside, students were also present but there were adults as well. Team RWBY took the time to look at them. They're strong build and the advanced weapons they were carrying confirmed they were Huntsmen and Huntresses. Among them was the professor, Glynda Goodwitch. The next thing the girls saw was the experienced warriors entering the Bullheads that were on the landing pads before the aircrafts took off with their passengers.

"What do you think was all that about?" Ruby talked to her team. Yang and Weiss raised their shoulders, don't have the answers.

The team left. Blake was the last as she took one glance showing a worried look on her face. Wherever or whatever was happening, it can't be good.

* * *

The city of Vale was a sight to behold. The western like city was vibrant in bright colors alongside a modern appearance. The large presence of people that were seen outside basically confirmed how much life there was.

Among these people were Team RWBY who were walking down the streets. They examined their surroundings. They saw many decorations were set up. Streamers and balloons were hung above them. Ruby saw one of the normal day citizens who was helping in the decorations was the old shopkeeper she helped long ago setting up a large banner titled, "Welcome to Vale". The people were joyful. Of course they were. The Vytal Festival was almost near.

After humanity pushed back the Grimm, four kingdoms were created from the aftermath: Vale, Vacuo, Atlas and Sanctum. After that came the birth of the festivals. Once a year, there was a festival in Vale where people from the four kingdoms come together and celebrate the various cultures of the world. That festival was the Vytal Festival.

Much can be experienced at the Vytal Festival. There will be parades, dances, feasts and even a combat tournament which Team RWBY were most excited about since they intend on entering it.

"The Vytal Festival! Oh, this is absolutely wonderful!" smiled Weiss as she placed both her hands on her chest.

"I don't think I've ever seen you smile this much, Weiss," Ruby noted. "It's kinda weirding me out..."

Weiss stared at Ruby. "How could you _not_ smile? A festival dedicated to the cultures of the world! There will be dances! Parades! A tournament! Oh, the amount of planning and organization that goes into this event is simply breathtaking!"

Yang sighed dull upon hearing this. "You really know how to take a good thing and make it sound boring."

"Quiet, you!" Weiss moved her head a bit to glare.

After all the obstacles they went through, Team RWBY finally arrived at the docks. The birds were flying around, getting their lunch and the ships blaring like crazy. Weiss was obviously joyed but her teammates on the other hand had a negative response.

In Yang's opinion, this was not the idea of having fun. "Remind me again why we're spending our Friday afternoon visiting the stupid docks?"

Ruby smelled the air and covered her nose to spare it from the stench. "Ugh, they smell like fish!"

Weiss informed, "I've heard that students visiting from Vacuo will be arriving by ship today. And, as a representative of Beacon, I feel as though it is my solemn duty to welcome them to this fine kingdom!"

Since Weiss was not telling, Blake explained to Yang and Ruby the real reason, "She wants to spy on them so she'll have the upper hand in the tournament."

"You can't prove that!" Weiss defended but Yang and Ruby could tell it was true.

As they continued walking, Ruby halted, having to see something that got her attention. "Whoa."

The other team members turned to Ruby's direction and saw it. Down the street, a building's window was shattered and the entrance was lined with the yellow tape. Two men were near the window. They were presumably officers of the Vale Police Force.

Curious, they walked towards the area to learn more. They walked towards the officer with the beard and Ruby asked, "What happened here?"

"Robbery," the detective answered. "Second Dust shop to be hit this week. This place is turning into a jungle."

"That's terrible," muttered Yang.

"They left all the money again," said the other cop which caught Ruby's attention.

"Huh?" The silver eyed girl voiced. Didn't take money? That sounded familiar.

"Yeah, just doesn't make a lick of sense. Who needs that much Dust?" the detective asked his partner.

"I don't know, an army?" the other detective guessed lightheartedly.

"You thinking the White Fang?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking we don't get paid enough."

"Hmm! The White Fang." The three girls looked at their white haired companion who crossed her arms showing a face of disgust. "What an awful bunch of degenerates!"

Blake narrowed her eyes hearing those words. "What's _your_ problem?"

"My problem?" Weiss calmly explained, "I simply don't care for the criminally insane."

Blake retorted, "The White Fang is hardly a bunch of psychopaths. They're a collection of misguided Faunus."

"Misguided?" Weiss gasped. "They want to wipe Humanity off the face of the planet!"

"So then they're very misguided," Blake followed up. "Either way, it doesn't explain why they would rob a Dust shop in the middle of downtown Vale!"

Ruby thought about it and Blake's statement made sense. "Hmm...Blake's got a point. Besides, the police never caught that Torchwick guy I ran into a few months ago...Maybe it was him."

"That still doesn't change the fact that the White Fang are a bunch of scum. Those Faunus only know how to lie, cheat, and steal," Weiss voiced out her opinions. However unknown to Weiss, Blake was gritting her teeth.

"That's not necessarily true..." Yang was about to tell what she thought until a yell was heard.

"Hey, stop that Faunus!"

The shout attracted Team RWBY who deduced that the shout came from the docks. They rushed back to the site and witness the commotion. On a ship, two sailors were chasing after the Faunus. The Faunus they were seeing was tan, has spiky blonde hair, wore an open loosed collared jacket and blue cargo pants and has a tail of a monkey.

The Faunus leapt onto the edge. He turned to his pursuers and smirked. "Thanks for the ride, guys!"

He jumped off the boat and to the docks, bolting away so that he can leap and used his tail to hang himself upside down on a lamp post. He then casually took out a banana from his pocket and peeled it.

"You no-good stowaway!" one of the mad sailors shouted.

"Hey! A no-good stowaway would've been caught! I'm a great stowaway!" the monkey Faunus rebutted before avoiding a rock. He saw the two detectives heading towards him.

The bearded detective demanded, "Hey! Get down from there this instant!"

The response, he threw a banana peel at the man's face much to his anger.

The Faunus laughed before jumping once more and escaped with the detectives on his tail, figuratively. The blonde went up to the city and he passed by Team RWBY.

Just as he passed them, he made eye contact with Blake and all of sudden, he winked at her. This made Blake confused.

The Faunus and the detectives were further away, leaving everyone to process this event.

Yang smiled. "Well, Weiss, you wanted to see the competition, and there it goes."

Realizing Yang was right, Weiss hurriedly said, "Quick! We have to observe him!"

Weiss, Yang and Ruby chased after them with Blake being last. Her mind was still in thought about the monkey Faunus who winked at her. Thankfully, it was a short while as she shook it off and followed her companions.

As they ran, they finally saw the detectives and the Faunus. The three ran around a corner and just as they were about to catch up, Weiss suddenly fell down.

Ruby, Yang and Blake saw this and halted.

Weiss turned her head up and saw the Faunus escaping. "No, he got away!"

"Uhh...Weiss?" Weiss looked to Yang who pointed something near her.

Weiss looked down and saw a smiling girl. The heiress jumped back up in fright. The girl on the other hand still smiled. She had short, curly orange hair with a pink bow on the back of her head. She wore an old styled blouse and short overalls.

"Sal-u-ta-tions!" the girl waved her hand despite she was on the ground.

"Um...hello," Ruby responded.

Yang followed with, "Are you...okay?"

The girl, still lying on the ground replied, "I'm wonderful! Thank you for asking."

Team RWBY looked at each other, very, incredibly confused at this girl's behavior and they've seen many strange people like Dr. Oobleck and Nora.

Yang calmly asked, "Do you...wanna get up?"

The girl thought about it and nodded. "Yes!"

She jumped back to her feet. The others took one step back away allowing her to introduce herself, "My name is Penny! It's a pleasure to meet you!"

Ruby greeted without hesitation, "Hi Penny. I'm Ruby."

"I'm Weiss," Weiss boasted.

"Blake," Blake said.

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head?" Yang wondered until Blake hit her to regain her common sense. "Oh, I'm Yang."

Penny responded nicely, "It's a pleasure to meet you!"

"You already said that," Weiss informed the girl.

Penny realized this and admitted, "So I did!"

"Well, sorry for running into you!" Weiss said and with that, the team walked away...from Penny. They knew enough that she was a little…

Ruby happily waved her hand to Penny. "Take care, friend!"

As Team RWBY distanced themselves away from Penny, Penny opened her eyes wide in amazement.

After getting some distance, Yang stated,"She was...weird..."

"Now, where did that Faunus riff-raff run off to?" Weiss said before looking at something that shocked her.

Standing in front of them was Penny. They looked back and forth. Wasn't she where she was? How did she get here so fast?

"What did you call me?" Penny asked.

Yang apologized to her, "Oh, I'm really sorry, I definitely didn't think you heard me!"

"No, not you." Penny walked through the group so that she could asked Ruby, "You!"

"_Me?_ I-I don't know. I, what I, um, uh..." Ruby was startled. This was starting to look like her dream again. Fortunately, the one closing in on her was a girl and not a boy.

"You called me 'friend'!" Penny leaned further to Ruby. "Am I really your friend?"

"Uuuum..." Ruby noticed her friends and sister motioning their hands to not say anything. They can tell this girl was super weird. Unfortunately, Ruby's heart wouldn't allow it and thus, the next thing she said was, "Y-Yeah, sure! Why not?"

That left the team to be in utter shock and fell to the ground, spontaneously but Penny was filled with untold amounts of happiness.

"Sensational!" Penny raised her hands high. "We can paint our nails, and try on clothes, and talk about cute boys!"

Ruby noticed Weiss near her and whispered to her, "Oh, is this what it was like when you met me?"

Weiss replied, "No-she seems _far_ more coordinated."

Yang rolled her eyes before turning to Penny. "So...what are you doing in Vale?"

The girl turned to Yang and explained, "I'm here to fight in the tournament."

Weiss gasped when she heard that. "Wait, you're fighting in the tournament?"

Penny saluted. "I'm combat ready!"

Weiss inspected Penny but so far she hasn't found any quality about her that made her a participant. "Forgive me, but you hardly look the part."

"Says the girl wearing a dress?" Blake sarcastically remarked.

Weiss countered. "It's a combat skirt!"

Ruby rushed to Weiss' side and they gave low-fives. "Yeah!"

"Wait a minute." Weiss realized something and asked Penny, "If you're here for the tournament, does that mean you know that monkey-tailed rapscallion?"

"The who...?" Penny had no idea what she was talking about.

"The filthy Faunus from the boat!" Weiss showed a drawing of the stowaway, a poor drawn one at that.

Weiss did not receive Penny's answer because Blake suddenly interrupted. "Why do you keep saying that?!"

"Huh?" Weiss turned to Blake in confusion.

The black haired teen pressed on, "Stop calling him a rapscallion! Stop calling him a degenerate! He's a person!"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Weiss said sarcastically as she moved her hands on various objects, "Would you like me to stop referring to the trash can as a trash can? Or this lamp post as a lamp post?"

"Stop it!" Blake shouted louder as the words infuriated her more.

"Stop _what_?" Weiss questioned. "He clearly broke the law. Give him time; he'll probably join up with those other Faunus in the White Fang!"

Blake clenched her fists and hissed. "You ignorant little brat!"

With that, Blake left. The others remained where they were, silent until Weiss voiced out, outraged at what Blake said, "How dare you talk to me like that! I am your teammate!"

Weiss followed Blake who stopped to yell once more, "You are a judgmental little girl."

"What in the world makes you say that?"

"The mere fact that you would sort that Faunus boy with a terrorist group solely based on his species makes you just as much of a scoundrel as you believe him to be!"

While Blake and Weiss argued, Yang and Ruby joined together and continued to stare at them worriedly. Yang whispered to her younger sister. "Um, I think we should probably go..."

"Where are we going?" Penny popped up, oblivious to what was happening in front of her.

It was nighttime. Team RWBY returned to Beacon while Penny left to somewhere else. The mission to observe the arriving students from the other kingdoms has ceased because of Blake and Weiss' heated argument which still continued right now. Yang and Ruby tried to stop it but it was in vain as Weiss and Blake continued throwing harsh words at one another and the two sisters had no choice but to watch it unfold.

"So you admit it! The White Fang is just a radical group of terrorists!"

"That's not what I meant, and you know it!"

"I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!" Weiss cried out.

"That is the problem!" Blake pointed it out.

Weiss then stated, "You realize you are defending an organization that hates Humanity, don't you? The Faunus of the White Fang are pure evil!"

Blake retorted, "There's no such thing as pure evil! Why do you think they hate Humanity so much? It's because of people like Cardin, people like you, that force the White Fang to take such drastic measures!"

"People like _me_?"

"You're discriminatory!" Blake accused Weiss.

Weiss finally having lost her composure, furiously shouted, "I'M A VICTIM!"

Those three words stunned everyone, including Blake.

"You want to know _why_ I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus?" Weiss walked towards the window and leaned on it. She took a deep breath and explained to Blake, "It's because they've been in war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember. And ever since I was a child, I've watched family friends disappear; board members executed. An entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home, furious. And that made for a very difficult childhood."

The others saw this. They had known Weiss for months. She was a girl who was hardworking and skilled but also spoiled and proud. However at this night, they saw another side of Weiss, a young woman filled with sadness and grief. Ruby silently walked towards Weiss. "Weiss, I-"

"No!" Weiss glared at Blake and yelled, "You want to know why I despise the White Fang? It's because they're a bunch of liars, thieves, and murderers!"

With those last sentences, the boiling point has reached. Blake gritted her teeth. She couldn't take this anymore. The rage. The racism. She hated it. It all led to her screaming these words that truly shocked them all, "WELL MAYBE WE WERE JUST TIRED OF BEING PUSHED AROUND!"

Silence was next. Ruby, Yang and Weiss were loss of words. What Blake just said…echoed around this room. Blake gasped in horror, realizing what she has just said. "I...I..."

Blake took a step back. She saw the eyes of her team. They were all staring at her. The next thing she did was…head to the door and fled out of the room.

Ruby finally returned to reality and followed Blake, shouting, "Blake, wait! Come back!"

However when she exited out of the room, she saw Blake was gone. Yang sat on her chair and looked at Weiss who just remained quiet.

* * *

Unbeknownst to Team RWBY, their friend Blake had already ran outside of the academy. She would have continued only to stop all of a sudden. Blake stopped to lift her head up and see the statue of the great heroes.

Looking at it however only caused the sadness within her to grew even more. Tears were dropping from the girl's beautiful amber eyes while her nose sniffed sorrowfully. Her only goal in life was to go to Beacon and become a Huntress. However, the recent events had led to this. What she had done cannot be undone.

What came after was her slowly grabbing the bow on her head. She slowly pulled the strings and it dropped, revealing…a pair of pure black cat ears. That was her true self; a Faunus.

"I knew you would look better without the bow," Came a voice and Blake turned to the source.

* * *

Meanwhile at the southeast of Vale, at the abandoned city of Mountain Glenn, the team of Hunters were continuing their investigation. This morning at the central part of Vale, citizens exited out of their homes to begin a new day but when they did, they discovered a huge hole.

It was later reported to the police who immediately sent officers and a construction crew to the location. When learning anomalies like this, that could mean one thing, the Grimm had breached into Vale.

Luckily, patrols searched the city and so far, no Grimm were sighted. The construction crew plugged the hole which led to bigger relief.

Not long after the police heard about the hole, they sent the information to Professor Ozpin who became curious as well. He was further informed that before the construction crew sealed the hole, a few of them entered it and discovered train tracks.

Discussing with Dr. Oobleck, he and Ozpin realized that the tracks led straight back to Mountain Glenn. The headmaster sent out a team to investigate.

"Miss Goodwitch! We found something!" the professor, Glynda Goodwitch heard one of the Huntsmen calling her and went to him. The Huntsman led her deep underground and discovered another city. The people that lived in Glenn went deep underground in response to the number of Grimm. Unfortunately, even this place was not safe from the Grimm.

"My God," Glynda whispered. She saw corpses. On the ground, mangled bodies lay motionless with torn out limbs scattered everywhere and pools of blood made from them and they were fresh when she examined them. Upon further examining, she discovered that all of the dead wore symbols of the White Fang.

Although the White Fang committed terrible acts, Glynda honestly felt that they did not deserved such a fate. Due to her examination, Glynda soon found bloodied tracks. She and her team followed the footprints made of red and found out it lead to the train tracks.

One question was solved but new ones emerged. Who or what did all of this and were they in Vale?

* * *

Back at the city of Vale, everyone were sleeping soundly at night. Hence, they were completely unaware of the new figures that were standing on top of a building.

These figures looked at the city and the streets below. From the cars to the bridges, the environment was completely alien to them. They growled like animals in response to it.

"Is it here, my Lord?" one with a feminine voice asked.

The leader of this unknown group smelled the air and then growled.

"Yes," the leading figure said. "I can smell it."

They had traveled very far, killing those who got in their way but they finally arrived. With that, the dark figures leapt off the building they stood and begun their search for what they seek.

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:**

**Ichika Date (AU counterpart of Ichika Orimura from **_**Infinite Stratos**_**):** Ichika Date is the biological father of Marcus Date. Belonging to a long line of warriors dating back to the Sengoku period, Ichika and his older sister, Chifuyu were the next generation to uphold it. While his combat skills were not up to par with today's standards, he made up for it in other fields such as survival. He was quite handsome in his younger days earning many girls' attention but he was too oblivious at the time which earned him the nicknames 'Dense Oaf' or 'Clueless Hero'. In his teen years, he tagged along with Chifuyu to a military academy for a special presentation. It was there that he met his future wife, Charlotte.

**Charlotte Date (AU counterpart of Charlotte Dunois from **_**Infinite Stratos**_**):** Charlotte Date is the biological mother of Marcus Date. Charlotte was born as a daughter of a mistress to the CEO of a prestigious corporation. However, the CEO was not present much and rarely interacted, isolating Charlotte and her mother. One day, the corporation went into bankruptcy and her father went into hiding, cutting ties to everyone close to him. Her mother soon married to a German who was the father of three children. Charlotte and her mother led a very happy life after that with Charlotte having a close relationship to her step-sister, Laura. With her step-father having connections to the military, Charlotte would meet her future husband, Ichika Date.


	7. Unforeseen

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 3: Unforeseen**

Morning has begun once more. The sun rose up showering Vale with its bright golden light, sweeping the black darkness away until only the shadows remained. Following after that were the birds chirping happily in seeing the light.

Sunlight reached Beacon Academy and one by one, it shone on the windows and illuminated the rooms inside with its glow.

It spread further reaching the dorm belonging to Team RWBY as it passed. Light was the call for the young teenagers to wake up. Ruby who slept on top of her bunk bed and dressed in her pajamas moaned. She lifted her body and stretched her muscles as she yawned loud.

When relaxed, the first thing the girl did was to stare at the bottom of the bunk bed belonging to her teammate, Blake Belladonna. Sadly, no one was sleeping on it and the bed remained tidy as it was. Blake was not there and Ruby sighed sadly.

"Blake," Ruby whispered to herself.

* * *

Hours later after dressing into their normal clothes, the three members of Team RWBY, Ruby, Weiss and Yang were currently at Vale, walking along the streets. Around them, preparations for the Vytal Festival continued. However, that was not their reason for being here.

"Blaaaake!" shouted Ruby.

"Blaaaake!" Yang shouted alongside her sister.

"Blaaaaaaaake! Where aaaare yoooouuuu!?"

"Blake!"

The two shouted once more. Unfortunately, their calls were not answered leaving them most saddened.

"She's been gone all weekend..." muttered Ruby. After the argument where Blake revealed her apparent heritage as a Faunus, the black haired girl left and never returned. The team searched everywhere at Beacon for her but no sign of her presence.

If Blake was not at the academy, the girls concluded that their friend could be at Vale. However, two days had passed and the results were none.

"Blake's a big girl, I'm sure she can handle herself!" Weiss scoffed, earning the stares from Ruby and Yang.

Yang attempted to convince the girl to help."Weiss, come on, she's one of our teammates."

"Is she? We all heard what she said!" Weiss retorted. All her life, she and her family were under constant threat by the White Fang. Weiss hated the White Fang for what they did to her but a few days ago, she learned that one of her teammates was a member of that organization. A member that she worked alongside for months.

"Weiss," Ruby shushed the white haired teenager.

Yang then followed up. "Maybe she is, maybe she isn't. Either way, she's missing, and we need to find her!"

"A member of the White Fang! Right underneath our noses!" Weiss whispered to herself.

As Weiss continued to not be helpful in the search, Ruby lowered her head and sighed in gloom. "I just hope she's okay..."

Unfortunately as she did, Ruby did not notice that she was about to bump into a person in front of her. It was too late and the person fell to the pavement.

Ruby regained her senses and cried at what she had done, "Oh my gosh…I'm sorry sir...I mean ma'am...I mean...Penny."

Ruby and then Yang and Weiss stared. Lying on the ground was the girl they met on Friday, Penny.

Penny seeing their faces, smiled wide and waved her hand. "Hiiiyyyaaa friends!"

Soon, Penny jumped back on her feet and continued waving. "Hiiiyyyaaa friends!"

The girls was taken aback before Ruby greeted the girl, "Uhhhh, hey…"

"Hiiiyyyaaa friends!" Penny said her greeting again.

Behind Ruby, Yang raised an eyebrow in confusion while Weiss facepalmed seeing this and wondering why the gods made them meet this girl once more. After making sure Penny didn't say it again, Ruby continued where she left off, "Hey Penny."

Happy, Penny went to Ruby and hugged her. "I'm so happy that my new friends are here again. For the last two days, I was really sad because I realized I haven't exchanged numbers with you all before we went back to our homes."

"Yeah, that is tragic," muttered Weiss who was secretly super glad. She really did not want the freckled girl to know her number and contacted her through her scroll.

Meanwhile, Ruby was trying to get some air as she was being constricted by Penny. She did not realized that Penny was this strong.

"Penny, can you please let me go?" Ruby begged as her face was almost turning blue.

"Oh sure," Penny complied.

Freed, Ruby panted. "I can breathe again."

Ruby's face was returning to normal and Yang comforted her little sister.

Penny then remembered something. "Oh by the way, what do you guys like because I was thinking on going to the shops and buy presents and give them to each and every one of you?"

While patting Ruby on the back, Yang said to Penny, "That's very nice of you Penny but we don't have time for that right now."

"What's wrong?" Penny wondered.

"Well," Yang properly explained, "We're looking for our friend Blake."

"Ooooh, you mean the Faunus girl!" said Penny who caused Ruby, Weiss and Yang to gasp.

"Wait, how did you know that?" Ruby questioned the girl.

Penny then pointed her head. "Uhh, the cat ears?"

"What cat ears? She wears a...bo_ooohhh_..." Yang was about to counter until realization hit her and so did Ruby and Weiss. Recalling past events, Blake did a few things that were similar to a cat. She played a ball of yarn and when Yang played with her laser pointer, Blake followed the red light wherever it went. Now that they think about it, it was pretty obvious.

Ruby and Yang looked at one another with Ruby whispering, "She does like tuna a lot..."

* * *

**World of Sangokuden**

It was a beautiful day in China and everyone at the Kingdom of Shoku couldn't be happier. After days of back breaking hard work and tiring preparation, the day was finally here. Today was the day of the Blossom Festival which was dedicated to Nagata Oda, the Governor of Shoku and Armored War God Gaim and the rest of the Armored War Gods who stood alongside him in protecting China.

"A celebration in my honor," Nagata mused to himself as he got dressed. "The guys back home would never believe it." As he briefly thought of home, a frown of sadness crossed his face. He had given up a chance to return home so he could stay and protect this world. While he knew it was a sacrifice worth making, he couldn't help but miss his family from time to time. Sometimes he felt homesick.

As Nagata got dressed, he checked himself in the mirror. As this was a special occasion, it was time to debut his new outfit. His usual blue shirt had been replaced by a midnight blue shirt with gold buttons that went up to a collar on his neck. A white sash was tied around his waist. He also wore baggy black pants with blue boots that had orange straps. Strapped to his forearms were bracers with steel plating on them. He then put on a new haori coat. It was orange with black trim and cherry blossom lining on the inside. On the back of the coat was his symbol as an Armored War God.

Grabbing his two katanas from the display rack, he slid them into his sash and secured them there. He then admired himself in the mirror and smiled. He looked very regal in his new outfit. According to Komei, as the King of Shoku, he needed to appear as one. As his armor was only meant for battle, a proper royal garb was required. The tailor was more than happy to make his order and finished just a day before.

"Gaim-sama."

Nagata whirled around in shock and was relieved to see that it was Ryofu. "Ren, you scared me."

"Sorry," she apologized. "Came to report. Everything is ready."

"Thanks, Ren. You didn't have to do that, but thanks." He noticed her gaze. "What?"

"I like Gaim-sama's new clothes. I like the color," she admitted with a blush.

"Thanks Ren," Nagata said awkwardly. "Appreciate the compliment."

It was more than just the clothes. Mixed with his looks and his heroic personality, Nagata was like a prince to Ryofu. A warrior prince.

Before Nagata resumed checking himself, Ryofu called to him, "Gaim-sama!"

"Yes, Ren?"

"When it starts," slowly, Ryofu told her Lord, "can you spend time with me?"

Nagata scratched his chin after hearing it. Ryofu saw and understood his body language. The saddened Ryofu turned to the door and was about to leave.

"It's a date, Ren," Nagata replied suddenly and it attracted Ryofu who saw Nagata smiling.

Ren gave an adorable smile and proceeded to hug him. "Thank you."

Nagata chuckled. Unfortunately, he had promised Kanu that he would spend time with her. However, the day was still young. Hence, he could split the two activities and each girl would receive equal attention.

With that, Ryofu exited out of his office. Seconds after she did, Iori showed his face.

"Hey Iori," said Nagata.

"Hey Nagata." Iori glanced at Nagata's attire and whistled. "You're looking good."

"Thanks," said Nagata as he made several poses in front of the mirror. Nagata couldn't help it. He truly made the outfit looked good.

"Good enough to attract a ship load of women," Iori smirked and Nagata gave a dirty look in response.

Nagata shook it off and asked his comrade, "How's Rinrin doing?"

"Phenomenal." Iori sat on a chair. "This morning, Rinrin made a paper mache of me."

"Really?"

"Yes," Iori chuckled. "She got every detail. Shapes, colors, everything. You should see it sometime."

"I will buddy."

Realizing he was going off topic, Iori finally told Nagata, "Anyway Nagata, I was thinking about inviting my brother and the Nanban Barbarians to the Blossom Festival. So, I was hoping if you can give me permission to-" But before Iori could finish, Nagata raised his hand in front of him.

Then Nagata smiled. "You don't need my permission Iori. Ichiro and everyone of Nanban are more than welcome to come here."

"You mean it?"

"Ichiro's your brother. He's your family and that means he's our family," claimed Nagata. As a young boy, he had many adventures with not only Yang but also with Weiss and Blake. They may not be related to him by blood but the bonds that was forged was more than enough for Nagata to see them as family.

Knock! Knock!

A knock on the door was heard. "Come in," said Nagata.

Entering the room was Kanu Unchou. "Morning Nagata-sama."

"Aisha." Nagata walked up to his love and they both kissed lips. "What mysterious force brought my beautiful black haired bandit hunter to my office?"

Kanu chuckled. "I am here to let you try out what I have cooked."

Nagata looked at Kanu's hands and they were holding a bowl. "You made chili?"

"Yes," said Kanu. "Since I noticed you were quite able to handle hot food, I was inspired to make this. I've added brisket, onions, pepper, various spices and any other ingredient that worked well with it including this green chili pepper."

Nagata stared at the bowl of chili. The surface was a brownish-red with the presence of cut meat. Bubbles were also present where they popped before another took their place. It looked like seeing a volcano.

"I was hoping," Kanu took a deep breath and admit, "you could try it."

Iori gulped in fright, fearing for Nagata's safety. As for Nagata, the next sentence he said was, "Sure, anything for you."

Hearing that, Kanu was beaming with joy while Iori showed a face of absolute horror.

Nagata sat on a chair as Kanu placed the bowl on his desk. Then, Nagata grabbed the spoon and proceeded to scoop some chili. Iori covered his eyes just as the spoon filled chili was near Nagata's mouth. Iori turned away just for good measure much to Kanu's confusion.

Finally, Nagata ate it and started chewing. And then he gulped it, sending the food into his stomach. Then, Nagata remained silent for a while. Kanu and Iori who turned back stared at their leader, wondering what has happened to him.

Finally, Nagata spoke as he smiled. "This is…good."

"Really?" Kanu's smile grew brighter as Nagata begun consuming more of the chili.

"This is a very good chili," Nagata commented. Kanu was in bliss. All the cooking lessons had paid off. Her Lord loved her chili.

Iori looked at Nagata in astonishment. No sweat was formed on his face and his face wasn't in any color. Curiosity got the better of him as he said, "Can I have some?"

"Of course Iori-sama." Kanu gave the man an extra spoon. Nagata shared his bowl with Iori.

Iori scooped a bit from the bowl and the food entered the mouth. Iori tasted it for a few seconds. Then, sweat appeared on his face that was becoming hot red. Iori was breathing heavily through the nose and then he shouted, "WAAAAAATTTTERRRR!"

Iori then rushed out of the room in lightning speed and disappeared. Kanu and Nagata were silent as the event happened.

"Was it too hot?" Kanu asked Nagata who just shrugged before taking another spoonful of chili.

* * *

While the Blossom Festival was ready to start, some feared that the food they had for the big feast might not be enough. So, a group was sent to venture into the woods to gather more food and ingredients.

A small child was among them. He had just pulled out a mushroom and put it into a small bag. His thought was filled with joy. He heard the grownups wanting to make a celebration in honor of the Armored War Gods.

He wholeheartedly agreed. Armored War God Gaim and Armored War God Ryugen were heroes. They deserved it. And it was finally here. The boy couldn't wait to see the parade with Gaim taking stage or playing the games that were set up. It was going to be a lot of fun.

Suddenly, he stopped daydreaming when he heard a rustling noise. He gasped as he looked around. He then heard the rustling noise again and then a strange noise. It sounded like an animal.

The boy was nervous and all of a sudden, a hand touched him which make him shrieked.

He turned around and saw that the hand was from his mother.

The mother lectured the boy, "You shouldn't stray from the group."

"Sorry, mommy."

"We've gathered what we need, let's go home." the young boy nodded to his mother and they held hands and left the forest.

They left. Everything was silent until the wind blew followed by the beastly growls. The bushes moved and red eyes popped up.

They watched as the mother and child left. Those who possess those soulless red eyes had one thing on their minds: blood.

* * *

**World of Remnant**

Daytime was no more and nighttime had strolled in to take its place. It was quiet at Vale's seaport. All of the workers had left to return to their homes. Most of the seagulls had returned to their nests to sleep leaving only the crickets who sang in the night. The sea was calm and peaceful.

Interestingly, hiding on the rooftop of one of the seaport's buildings was Blake. She lay flat on the rooftop looking at the buildings and the stacked cargo.

_It was lively at the city. People were just walking along or observing the decorations set up around the city. Meanwhile, somewhere located in the middle of Vale, Blake Belladonna was enjoying tea at a balcony of a cafe. She was not alone however. Sitting in front of her was the Faunus from the docks, Sun Wukong._

_Unknown to Blake and her team, Sun had secretly followed them back to Beacon Academy. When he was searching around, he accidentally found Blake by the statue where she revealed her true self._

_After he showed himself to the cat Faunus, the two left Beacon and hide out in the city for the next couple of days. Although they have been together for two days, Blake hasn't spoken much of a word to the monkey Faunus._

_After sipping some tea, Blake looked at the boy. "So, you want to know more about me..."_

_Sun lifted his hands up in relief. "Finally, she speaks! Nearly two days and you gave me nothing but small talk and weird looks!"_

_Blake glared at her compatriot who commented, "Yeah, like that."_

_Sun was right. After he helped her run away and allowed her to stay with him, she hadn't showed much gratitude towards him. Blake sighed in defeat. "Sun...Are you familiar with the White Fang?"_

"_Of course!" Sun snorted. "I don't think there's a Faunus on the planet who hasn't heard of them. Stupid, holier-than-thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want. Bunch of freaks, if you ask me!"_

_Sun used his tail to grab the cup and had his drink before Blake responded, "I was once a member of the White Fang."_

_Suddenly, Sun started choking after hearing that. After lowering the cup and wiping the tea spilled from his mouth, he replied, "Wait a minute, you were a member of the White Fang?!"_

"_That's right," the girl with the bow nodded. "I was a member for most of my life, actually. You could almost say I was born into it..."_

_Blake took a deep breath and gave her story to Sun. "Back then, things were different. In the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between Humans and the Faunus. Of course, despite being promised equality, the Faunus were subjected to discrimination and hate. Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings. And so, the White Fang rose up as the voice of our people. And I was there. I was at the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I actually thought we were making a difference. But I was just a youthful optimist."_

_Blake closed her eyes for a short while. Sun could tell this was where the unpleasant stuff was about to be revealed.__"Then, five years ago, our leader stepped down, and a new one took his place. A new leader, with a new way of thinking. Suddenly, our peaceful protests were being replaced with organized attacks. We were setting fire to shops that refused to serve us, hijacking cargo from companies that used Faunus labor. And the worst part was, it was working. We were being treated like equals. But not out of respect...out of fear."_

_Sun was shocked at this. It was true that humanity in the past has treated the Faunus poorly but the White Fang were no better._

_"So, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence, and instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a Huntress. So here I am: a criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little black bow," Blake said before looking at her bow that moved a bit._

* * *

_After having that nice tea break, Blake and Sun exited out of the cafe and were walking along the alleyway._

_Sun with his hands behind his head turned to Blake. "So, what's the plan now?"_

_Blake replied, "I still don't believe the White Fang is behind these robberies. They've never needed that much Dust before."_

_"What if they did?" said Sun. When Blake looked at him, Sun continued, "I mean...the only way to prove that they didn't do it, is to go to the place where they would most likely go to if they were to do it, and not find them there! Right?"_

_"The only thing is, I've no idea where that would be," Blake admitted._

_Sun then replied, "Well, while I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about offloading a huge shipment of Dust coming in from Atlas."_

_"How huge?"_

_"Huge. Big Schnee Company freighter."_

_"You're sure?"_

* * *

And here they were and Sun was right. That was a lot of Dust down there. All they had to do now was wait and watched what happened.

The monkey Faunus finally arrived and landed beside Blake. "Did I miss anything?"

"Not really. They've offloaded the crates from the boat. Now they're just sitting there." After finishing, Blake stared at the green apples that Sun was holding in his arms.

"Cool." Sun offered one of the apples. "I stole you some food!"

Blake raised an eyebrow and rebutted, "Do you always break the law without giving a second thought?"

"Hey, weren't you in a cult or something?" Sun countered and he received a nasty glare from the cat Faunus. "Okay, too soon!"

Suddenly, the air started to moved fiercely. The strong wind blew on the two Faunus' hair. They looked up and saw the perpetrator. It was the aircraft, called the Bullhead.

Blake and Sun maintained their position as the Bullhead hovered around the port shining its lights on the ground. The Bullhead soon slowly landed in the middle of the docks. It opened and entering out were black and white individuals wearing fanged masks.

When Blake saw them, she saddened and whispered to herself, "Oh no..."

Sun inquired Blake, "Is that them?"

"Yes…" Blake spoke, full of dejection. "It's them."

Sun questioned further, "You really didn't think they were behind it, did you?"

"No," Blake sighed sadly. "I think deep down I knew. I just didn't want to be right."

She grew up in the White Fang. It was basically family to her. She tried hard to believe there was some good left in the organization but after seeing this, all hopes were dashed. The White Fang she knew was gone. This was the White Fang now.

She lowered her head in shame but then came the voice. "Hey! What's the holdup!?"

Blake was shocked and immediately resumed watching the White Fang on the docks. At the Bullhead, one more passenger exited out.

Blake's eyes widened seeing him. Blake saw the wanted posters. He was Roman Torchwick.

Roman strolled around the docks and started insulting his Faunus partners. "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?"

Blake narrowed her eyes as she watched Roman continued.

"This isn't right," she muttered. "The White Fang would never work with a Human. Especially not one like that."

Without a moment of hesitation, Blake unsheathed her Gambol Shroud from her back and without a thought, jumped off the ledge to confront them.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" Sun shouted to her but she didn't reply. "Oh man."

* * *

**World of Sangokuden**

In his office, Nagata wanted to ensure everything was in order. His hair was combed and neat and his clothes showed no wrinkles. He needed to looked good for the celebration. He doesn't need a speech on paper because he already knew what he would say to the people.

There was one more thing he had to do, making sure that the medallion was secured around his neck and have a long gaze at it. This was no ordinary medallion. This medallion has the symbol of the Oda Clan. Prior to his return to China and everyone in Shoku, Nagata took a few things from his home before heading to the museum; photos of his family and friends, his first Kamen Rider toy that he got from the gashapon and the medallion of the Oda Clan which once belonged to his mother, Ruby Oda.

After Ruby and her husband's passing, Yang managed to reacquire the medallion belonging to her late sister. The young woman then handed this treasure to Nagata. Yang told him that whenever he wears it, his family will always be there with him. At the time, Nagata did not know what she meant but after regaining his memories, he finally understood.

Nagata wore a sad smile while looking at it. Although he got over what happened to his real parents, he truly wished that they were still alive to see what their child has accomplished. During the preparations for the Blossom Festival, Nagata would imagine himself commencing the festival and he looked at the crowd and see his real parents, his current parents, Yang and Monta, relatives and friends among them.

Nagata sighed knowing that will never happen but then shook his head as there was no point in moping over it. He made a family here and they supported him. That was more than enough.

As Nagata was preparing to head out, a familiar voice caught his attention. "Well, well, well. You're looking as sharp as ever, Armored War God Gaim-sama." Nagata turned and saw Chosen who was dressed in a pink suit and looking as cheerful as always.

"Chosen," Nagata greeted. "So, what brings you over to Shoku today?"

"Oh, as if I would not attend such a wonderful celebration, especially as it is in the honor of a great hero like yourself," smiled Chosen. "Your parents, wherever they are, would be proud of you."

"Yeah, I still can't believe there's a festival in my honor," Nagata replied as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Indeed, but the people see fit to hold this celebration in your honor due to your recent actions. You are something to look up to. You inspire people and give them strength. You have united the people under your banner with your ideals and charisma," praised Chosen.

"Still, I don't think I'm anything special."

"And modest too. Well, since today is a special day for you, I thought it would be a good idea to leave a gift for you," Chosen said as he left a box on Nagata's desk. "Bye, now~!" Chosen waved before he vanished.

Nagata blinked and shrugged. Chosen was just one big mystery. He looked at the box Chosen had left and went to open it.

Nagata studied Chosen's gift. It was a Lockseed. However unlike the others, this one was blank, dull and grey and the only intriguing feature about it was that it had a seed like design with the words L.S.-? on the front.

'_What does this Lockseed do?_' Nagata thought to himself before Komei entered.

"Nagata-sama." Nagata turned to the young girl who spoke. "It's time."

"Oh, OK," Nagata nodded. "So be honest, how do I look?"

"You looked majestic, Nagata-sama."

As they head out, Nagata looked at Komei. "So Shuri, are Hoto and your teacher coming to the festival?"

* * *

Not long, Nagata and Komei arrived at the main doors. He opened them and light shine on him and when he passed them, his eyes saw a large crowd assembled before him. They cheered, they raised miniature flags, most of them were his symbol and they chanted his name, "Gaim-sama!"

Even after all this time, Nagata still wasn't used to such ovation. Not too long ago, he used to be a high school student who practiced kendo, helped out at his family's restaurant, and a love for Kamen Rider. Now he was considered one of the greatest heroes of this era.

"Here you go, Nagata-sama." Komei handed Nagata a crystal microphone.

"Thanks, Shuri." Nagata tapped on the orange crystal to activate its voice amplification magic. He stood on the stage facing the villagers. He addressed them with a smile, "Greetings everyone and welcome to our first annual Blossom Festival."

The crowd clapped and roared in applause. Behind him, his generals were clapping with Bacho and Chouhi lifted their arms up in enjoyment.

Nagata resumed his speech, "First of all, to be honest, I never really expected quite a celebration to be held in my honor. In fact, when I accepted my role here as your governor, I was only thinking about keeping the peace and protecting the people here. A lot of time has passed since then and our territory has expanded with all the alliances we have formed. Bandits are no longer a problem in Shoku as they are dealt with before they can become a problem."

The crowd were being enthralled by Nagata's words. The generals smiled at their leader. They were proud of him especially Komei whose eyes were getting watery.

Nagata resumed on, "As you are well aware, the Imperial Government has fallen due to corruption. Fortunately, the true mastermind has been dealt with. However, that does not mean we are completely safe. There is still evil out there who will attempt to destroy our fragile peace. The purpose of this festival is to show we are not afraid to enjoy the peace we have worked hard to obtain."

Everyone looked to one another in agreement and many cheered on, agreeing to what Nagata said. As Nagata was about to continue…

"AAAHHHH!"

Suddenly, everyone heard screaming. Everyone tried to find the source until Chouhi shouted, "Nagata-niichan, look!"

Nagata, his generals and the crowd turned to the source of that scream. Everyone gasped in horror as they watched several villagers running away from a horde of creatures.

"Are those Inves?" asked Iori. These creatures resembled werewolves, as in bipedal lycanthropes. They were covered in pitch black fur and had bone white masks covering their heads. These masks had red markings. The creatures also had bony protrusions sticking out of their arms and backs, with sharp claws at their fingertips.

The villagers tried their best to flee but those who were unable to were pinned to the ground where the werewolves began sinking their teeth into the people's limbs and tore them out of their bodies. With that, the crowd panic and they ran too.

Soon, Nagata shook his head to regain back his focus and his face became serious. "Doesn't matter. They're dangerous and need to be stopped!"

He pulled out the transformation belt and attached it to his waist. Attaching his Orange Lockseed, Nagata activated his Sengoku Driver. "Iori, let's go! Henshin!"

Iori followed. "Henshin!"

"**ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!"**

"**BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!"**

Two portals opened and the giant metal fruits of Helheim exited out. The Armor Parts came down onto their owners' heads, sending an energy that formed into their bodysuits. The metal fruits disassembled and they formed their armor. Thus, Armored War God Gaim and Armored War God Ryugen appeared, both taking out their weapons to fight.

"Iori, Ren, Aisha, Sui, back me up! Shuri, Sei, Shion, Rinrin, get the villagers to safety!" ordered Gaim.

"Yes Gaim-sama!" Komei, Chou'un, Kochu and Chouhi complied and head to gather the villagers.

Gaim and Ryugen jumped down from the stage followed by Kanu, Ryofu and Bacho and all five charged at the beasts who roared ferally.

* * *

**World of Remnant**

Blake made her way to the thieves. She hid behind one of the containers and stealthily headed to them. When she was at the end, she peeked around the corner.

Blake saw the White Fang continued securing the Dust shipment. Finally, she saw her target talking to one of the White Fang who was holding a large rope.

"No, you idiot! This isn't a leash!" groaned Roman.

Before Roman could finish what he has to say, he suddenly found himself having a katana very close to his throat.

"What the-" Roman shifted his eye and saw Blake. "Oh, for-"

In an instant, the White Fang soldiers pointed their guns and pulled out their swords.

"Nobody move!" Blake demanded.

"Whoa! Take it easy there, little lady." Roman tried to talk his way out.

The White Fang approached her. Seeing they were not complying, Blake did the next thing. Using her free hand, she grabbed her bow and removed it from her head, revealing her Faunus ears. Seeing this, the White Fang lowered their weapons and turned to one another.

Blake announced to her kind, "Brothers of the White Fang! Why are you aiding this scum?"

Suddenly, Roman laughed. "Oh, kid, didn't you get the memo?"

"What are you talking about?" Blake snarled.

"The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together!" Then, the blade was now closer to him.

"Tell me what it is or I'll put an end to your little operation." Blake's voice did not stutter. She meant business.

Unfortunately, the odds were not in her favor. The wind blew wildly once more. Blake turned her head up and so did Roman who smirked like a snake. "I wouldn't exactly call it a little operation..."

Blake gasped in horror as she saw two more Bullheads hovering above them.

At the rooftop, Sun noticed this as well and proceeded to jump down to the pavement and ran to aid his comrade.

Roman shifted his eye and saw his hostage taker was distracted. He was about to retaliate until -

**BOOM!**

\- one of the Bullheads suddenly exploded. The burning aircraft then descended to the earth. The White Fang members jumped out of the way just as the aircraft crashed.

A blast of crimson hit the other Bullhead and it spiraled down to Blake and Roman.

"Look out!" Sun jumped in and tackled Blake and himself away. Roman dropped to the ground and hurriedly ran.

The Bullhead smacked into the ground and exploded. The force sent the three skidding across the ground. Everyone at the seaport slowly got up.

Sun rubbed the back of his head before looking at the confused Blake. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Blake softly spoke.

Roman was getting up, coughing. He wondered what just happened. He got his answer.

Near the blazing fires where the Bullheads crashed, dark figures revealed themselves.

Men that resembled initiates of a martial arts school wore black robes with red markings and Grimm masks to covered their faces.

Another sort of these men were present. Their clothing showed they were of a higher level compared to their comrades. Black robes with white sashes across their chests and shoulder armor with wolf designs. Their faces were shown and they looked like pale ghosts with red markings on them. On top of their heads were metal caps with wolves adorned on their foreheads.

The White Fang threateningly showed their weapons but these new arrivals showed no fear. Instead, they growled menacingly.

More began to show up until the last four landed and stood up. They were like the ones that had the wolf ornaments but each one of the four possessed an ornament and armor of a different animal. When Roman saw them, he gasped as his skin began to turn white.

One of the dark figures turned his blood eyes at Roman and gave a dark glare at him as he hissed, "Roman Torchwick, we've been looking for you."

"Uh oh," Roman gulped.

With that, the dark figures roared wild and lunged at all that were in their sights.

* * *

**World of Sangokuden**

"Eat lasers!" Ryugen shouted as he aimed his Budou Ryuhou and fired. The purple shots knocked many of them down as they were riddled with holes. Behind him was Ryofu who was using her Heaven Piercing Halberd to strike the beasts down. Her phenomenal strength was shown as she easily bisected one of the beasts. Nearby was Bacho who was using quick thrusts of her yari spear to take down the monsters.

"Oi-ryah!" Bacho stabbed one right through its masked face with her yari. She withdrew and twirled her weapon around as she stabbed it right in the chest.

"You demons will not run amok here!" Kanu declared as she hacked and slashed with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade.

Next was Gaim who brandished his swords and sliced the creatures when they were near. One wolf monster jumped and Gaim leapt and delivered a flying kick at the stomach sending it crashing. He joined both his swords into Naginata Mode and twirled both blades around. As he was surrounded, he quickly hit his Cutting Blade for one of his finishers.

"**SOIYA! ORANGE SQUASH!"**

The Daidaimaru's blade glowed and Gaim performed a spin, landing slashes upon the beasts that surrounded him. He separated both swords and pulled the tab of his Musou Saber before he fired, taking out three of them.

A fourth one managed to tackle him to the ground but it soon felt a piercing strike in its body as Gaim successfully impaled it. He rose back up and threw the dead creature away.

Ryugen continued firing at the wolves. Too focused on what was in front, he did not notice one of them sneaking up behind him.

After kicking another, Gaim noticed. "Iori, behind you!"

Thanks to Gaim's warning, Ryugen rolled to the side, avoiding a nasty claw slash. Ryugen aimed and fired at it, defeating it. Ryugen gave a thumbs up for Gaim's help. The two turned and saw the wolves hadn't stopped coming. Then, arrows hit them.

Gaim and Ryugen looked back and saw Kochu, along with few of their archers using their bows and arrows.

"HAAHH!" Chouhi appeared next as she roared. She rode her war pig, sped past the armored riders and smacked away many of the wolves creatures.

Chou'un ran towards Gaim who asked, "Sei, are the villagers safe?"

"They are. Gien and Batai are watching over them," she said.

"Good, now let's take them down." Gaim pointed his sword and everyone roared in agreement.

Unbeknownst to everyone, a slender figure was hiding behind one of houses. It watched the battle continued and smiled as that was what it wanted. It then went deeper into the kingdom, intending to complete its objective.

* * *

**World of Remnant**

"Thank you so much." Ruby thanked the cook of the food truck who has long auburn hair with a pair of goggles on his head. The food truck was known to have a different menu every day of the week. Today they were selling donuts.

Ruby walked to her comrades and started giving the paper bags that had a donut.

She gave Weiss what she ordered. Weiss muttered, "Finally."

Ruby turned to Penny. Ruby didn't know what she wanted. So, she ordered a chocolate donut for her. Ruby was about to give it to her until Penny spoke, "I don't eat."

Then, Ruby walked towards Yang. Yang was talking to the other owner of the food truck, Kat who has long black hair with a bang framing her face.

Yang asked, "So have you seen her?"

"Actually, I think I did see someone matching that description," The owner informed Yang.

"Really!" Yang replied.

"Really!" Ruby repeated what Yang said before giving her sister her order.

"Yeah. Hey Leo," Kat turned to her brother, "I was talking to these girls and they are looking for a girl with black hair and amber eyes."

"Are you referring to the young woman who kept her Faunus ears hidden within that large black bow?" Leo asked.

"Yup."

Weiss whispered to Ruby. "Are we the only ones not aware about this?"

Leo continued, "If I recall, I believed I saw her and her friend heading to the seaport?"

"Friend?" Yang voiced.

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard. Everyone turned to a large smoke that was coming from a distance. The girls soon realized that explosion came from the seaport which Blake and her other friend went to. Without wasting time, the four girls rushed to the seaport.

* * *

**World of Sangokuden**

The battle continued and while Shoku suffered several losses, the monsters experienced more.

Kanu and Ryofu were back to back to one another while glaring at the wolves that surrounded them. While the dark beasts showed their fangs to intimidate the women but they were not aware what they were really thinking.

The two young women loved their god, Gaim-sama. He made a promise with them that he will go out with them during the Blossom Festival. That was until these vicious wolves appeared and ruined everything. Ruining their plans with their love was the equivalent of accepting suicide.

Many of the wolves attacked but Kanu and Ryofu were ready. Kanu jumped into the air just as Ryofu swung her blade in one swoop that sent the giant wolves back who received huge cuts in the process. Kanu descended back and proceeded to deliver multiple swift slashes that injured the wolves even more.

Kanu blocked multiple swipes with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade. Ducking under another swipe, Kanu severed the arm of the wolf. A second wolf charged in but got its head chopped off.

A wolf attempted to bite Ryofu but instead bit on the spear. Ryofu lifted her spear before slamming the weapon, along with the wolf down to the ground. She swung and the wolf let go and it crashed into a hut.

Chou'un ran past several wolves and delivered swift slashes on their hides. When one of them was about to tackle her, Chou'un leapt to a roof of a house. She jumped back and slammed her heel on top of a wolf's head before kicking it in the face.

Chouhi jumped off her war pig while the pig rammed into one of the wolves. The wolves ran towards Chouhi but she smacked them to the ground with her spear until one got lucky and swiped at her.

Chouhi skidded across the ground by one of the wolves. She got up and having lost her weapon, she instead charge at it who did the same thing. Chouhi grappled with the wolf and it looked like both were evenly matched.

"You're strong," Chouhi gave a cheeky grin, "But I'm stronger."

Without breaking a sweat, Chouhi lifted the wolf off its feet. She spun around leaving the wolf floating in the air. When she saw a pack, Rinrin threw the wolf and it slammed into its own kind like a bowling ball hitting bowling pins.

Not far, Bacho noticed Chouhi's Viper Spear on the ground. Ducking under a lunge, Bacho rolled over and grabbed the weapon. "Chouhi!"

Chouhi saw her friend who threw her weapon towards her. Chouhi caught it and she finally have her weapon returned. "Thanks Sui!"

"No problem!" Bacho accepted before delivering a kick at a wolf from behind.

"**HAI~! KIWI ARMS! GEKI, RIN, SEI-YA HA!"**

Ryugen had performed an Arms Change and threw his Kiwi Gekirin. The circular blades flew and slashed at the dark wolf monsters, slicing through vital areas. One was lucky enough to only lose its arm but several arrows embedded themselves into its skull, dropping it.

Many of the wolves had arrows buried in them as they slowly dissolved. Kochu was frighteningly talented with a bow and arrow and it showed as she fired a volley of arrows in rapid succession.

Meanwhile, Gaim was cornered by several of the wolf-like beasts but then one was pierced in the skull by Bacho. Kanu and Chou'un also took down the others.

"There seems to be no end to them, Nagata-sama!" Kanu told her beloved.

"Yeah, I know," Gaim agreed as he push the Cutting Blade thrice over his Lockseed.

"**SOIYA! ORANGE SPARKING!"**

Gaim bent his knees and took a deep breath before he jumped, creating a shockwave shaped like an orange slice. He hovered in the sky as a series of orange slices lined up between him and a collection of the beasts. He roared as he flew through the slices, an inferno enveloping his body before he smashed into the center of the group. There was an explosion that swallowed up the beasts as Gaim leapt out and landed on one knee, his armor was smoking.

"Nagata-sama!" Kanu cried as she approached.

"Whoa, Aisha!" Gaim raised his hands to stop her. "Wait a minute. Right now my armor's red hot from all that energy."

"It seems that last attack wiped out the rest of them," Bacho observed.

One of the soldiers walked up to Gaim.

"How many did we lost?" Gaim asked.

"5 citizens and 12 of our men but everyone is alright," said the soldier.

"Is everyone alright?" asked Gaim.

"We're fine Nagata-sama," responded Kanu. "But I really wanted to know what were those creatures. Were they from the RinJyuKen?"

"It's a possibility," Ryugen argued. The werewolves' appearances did not match any of the Inves they had encountered who have a mix of animal and floral designs.

Bacho raised an eyebrow. "I don't really get it. Why would the RinJyuKen send these things at us? This doesn't seem like their usual routine."

"Maybe they're testing how powerful they were but that's not important right now," Gaim responded. "First, we need to fortify the defenses in case of a second attack. After that, I want soldiers ready the catapults and arrow launchers. Next we-"

However Gaim soon realized that everyone was not paying attention to his orders. He saw everyone staring at him. "What?"

As the girls gasped, Kanu was the first to shout, "Nagata-sama!"

Gaim was puzzled at first before he looked down and saw a light on his chest. "What?" The light grew and engulfed him before he vanished.

"NAGATA-SAMA!"

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bio:**

**Tatsuya Miyamoto (AU counterpart of Tatsuya Shiba from **_**The Irregular in Magic High School**_**):** Tatsuya Miyamoto is the grandfather of Masataka Miyamoto and current head of the Miyamoto Corporation. After his son left Masataka and Minato to him, Tatsuya dedicated himself to look after his grandsons. Ever since then, Masataka has absolute respect toward his grandfather. It is important to note that Masataka actually learned most of his fighting skills from Tatsuya. Even at his age, this elderly man could hold his own as if he was still at his peak. Any information apart from that is a complete mystery. However, several rumors about him appeared over the years. According to several individuals that wished to remain anonymous, Tatsuya was allegedly part of Japan's special task force during World War II. This group was assigned the most dangerous and most suicidal missions and Tatsuya was one of their best. Of course, these are just rumors but recent events including an incident at an expo where participants claimed that Tatsuya had singlehandedly took down several armed men suggested otherwise.


	8. Cross

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 4: Cross**

**World of Remnant**

Minutes later, Ruby, Weiss, Yang and Penny arrived at the docks. However when they arrived, they saw no one there. What they saw was only the destruction.

The girls looked around. They stared at the wreckage of the Bullheads still burning, buildings that had several marks and holes on them and the once stacked cargo was now scattered all over. Weiss inspected the cargo containers and gasped as she saw it had the logo of her family's company.

Weiss sadly lowered her head. "She did this."

Yang noticed this and realized what Weiss was thinking right now. Yang walked up to the heiress. "Weiss, I don't believe Blake would-"

"How much proof do you need?" Weiss snapped at Yang before pointing at the cargo. "Look at all this. Most of these cargo belonged to the Schnee Dust Company and Blake and her _friend_ just happened to come here where they were all stored."

"We should hear Blake's side of the story before we jump to any conclusions."

"I've seen enough." Weiss turned away. Weiss was fed up. The White Fang had gotten away for far too long. Her only goal in her mind right now was to find the White Fang and bring them to justice.

While Yang tried to get Weiss to listen to reason, Ruby and Penny continued to look around. Ruby heard the conversation but she doesn't believe Blake would do this. Ruby halted as she noticed a piece of metal belonging to the Bullhead. Curious, she along with Penny turned it over and to Ruby's shock, the metal showed the symbol of the White Fang.

However even after seeing this, Ruby refused to believe it. The hooded girl remembered the times she spent with Blake. They played games together, talked about their favorite books and more. They bonded and Ruby understood what kind of person Blake was. While Blake may kept things to herself, she was overall a good and gentle young girl. There was no way Blake would do this after everything they went through together.

Ruby muttered, "This doesn't make any sense."

"What doesn't make sense?" Penny asked.

"Well," Ruby explained, "According to the detectives, they believed the White Fang was stealing Dust from all the shops."

Ruby then pointed at the cargo. "Let's say the White Fang came to the docks because they heard about the large quantities of Dust being here and were gonna take them all away but look, all the cargo is still here. At least I think that's all the cargo."

"Okay," Penny understood.

"And what's with that explosion? The White Fang have been stealing Dust right under people's noses for a while now. So why would there be an explosion?"

"Maybe someone stopped them?" Penny deduced.

"Exactly," Ruby agreed. "Maybe Blake was trying to stop the White Fang. Penny?"

Ruby looked at Penny who was now staring at something. The freckled girl pointed at one of the crates.

"Look," Penny said. She then headed towards the crates.

Ruby followed the girl. When they were near, Ruby saw what Penny had noticed at the wooden boxes. The two saw something lodged onto one of them. Ruby curiously grabbed it and pulled it out.

"Weiss! Yang! Come here, we found something!" Ruby's shout attracted the two and they went to her.

Yang approached Ruby and asked, "What did you find?"

"We found a claw." Ruby showed the claw and Weiss and Yang looked at it. The claw was white in color and very sharp. Seeing it, Weiss narrowed her eyes.

"See, a claw. A Faunus claw. Proof that the White Fang were here," Weiss angrily accused.

Before the heiress continued further, objection came. Not from Ruby or Yang but from Penny who spoke, "I don't think that claw belonged to a Faunus."

Getting the girls' attention, Penny continued, "Based on the shape and texture, the claw looks like it belongs to a Beowolf."

"A Beowolf?" the three girls spoke simultaneously.

"That's not all, see the footprints." Penny crouched down and motioned her hand around the concrete, "While many of them wore shoes, some of them were barefooted. Looking closer while smaller, the prints definitely resembled the footprints of several species of Grimm."

"Footprints? I don't see any footprints." Yang searched around and couldn't find these footprints Penny claimed were there.

Weiss countered. "Not trying to discredit your theory but the authorities had assured everyone that no Grimm has entered Vale."

Everyone in Beacon had heard about the hole and the train tracks that led back to Mountain Glenn but days passed. No attacks were reported in the kingdom and the team that were sent to Mountain Glenn returned and confirmed nothing out of the ordinary. Although, a couple of students managed to see the team and the adults' faces suggested otherwise when they entered and exited out of Ozpin's office.

"But the claw?" Penny pointed that out again.

"Must be some kind of White Fang trick?" Weiss guessed.

While everyone discussed, Ruby remained silent as she contemplate what was going on. All of a sudden, her vision started to blur. Ruby rubbed her eyes but still the blur was there. Then, she started to move unsteadily. She hold herself by holding onto the building's wall. As the others continued to be unaware, Ruby's eyes started to glow and she gasped.

Yang stopped talking and finally noticed her sister's condition. "Ruby, are you okay?"

When the blonde teenager was near to her sister, Ruby grabbed Yang's shoulders all of a sudden and shouted, "I KNOW WHERE BLAKE IS!"

* * *

Located at some part of Vale stood an abandoned factory. It was abandoned but not anymore as cracked glasses and crashing sounds were heard inside.

Inside, machinery remained out of commission, empty boxes were scattered across the factory floor and slime were seen on the walls. However as of now, there were two kinds of slime. The green variant that were formed over the years while the other, the black slime were fresh and people were cocooned in them.

Among those trapped in the slime were Sun and Blake with the latter remaining unconscious.

"Blake? Blake?" Sun shouted to the girl, trying to wake her up.

The Faunus finally succeeded as his voice reached through Blake who groaned and slowly opened her eyes.

"Blake?" Sun shouted once more attracting Blake's attention.

"Sun?" whispered the cat Faunus.

Sun was relieved. "Thank god you're alright."

"Yes, it is a great day to be happy. Now she can witness her own death."

Blake soon noticed the one who made that sarcastic remark; Roman Torchwick. He was also trapped in the black slime. Not only him, all of the White Fang members who were with him at the time were also stuck.

Blake attempted to move but she couldn't. She looked at the goo that she was trapped in. She was disgusted but also surprised how strong it was to hold her and the people.

Unable to break out of the slime, Blake looked to Sun. "Where are we?"

"Some kind of factory," the monkey Faunus explained. "Apparently, this is one of Mr. Cane's hideouts."

"Hey," Roman snarled. "Try finding a decent hideout while on the run."

CRASH!

The noise attracted the cocooned people. The captives looked down and saw the strange people in robes that attacked them ransacking the factory. They saw the ones with Grimm masks pushing boxes down while the ones with wolf ornaments tore every single piece out of the factory equipment.

"Where is the precious?" mumbled one of the attackers who was rummaging through the pile of boxes. He wore robes just like the wolf wearers but his shoulder armor and the ornament on his head were modeled after an aardvark. "Where is the precious?"

"Keep searching! Tear the thief's home if you have to!" At the upper section of the factory, one of these robed individuals who had a female voice was barking orders at those on the ground. Her ornament and armor was that of a piranha.

Another loud noise was heard as a conveyor equipment collapsed to the ground thanks to one who has a koala as an ornament. He looked inside and found nothing which made him grumbled angrily.

The Piranha wearer turned to the Aardvark wearer. "Did you find it?"

"No." the Aardvark wearer showed stacks of papers. "All I found is paper, paper, and more paper!"

At another part of the factory, one of the Grimm masks found a radio. It curiously touched the gadget and it activated, playing Tejano music for some reason. The Grimm mask try to smack the radio to turn it off but was unable to.

Soon, the Koala wearer appeared beside the Grimm mask. Pushing the Grimm mask aside, the Koala wearer smashed the radio to bits with his fist. He snarled. "This is music? What crap!"

The Piranha wearer just shook her head and pinched where the nose would be.

"This is it!" the Aardvark wearer panicked. "He'll punish us! Punish us I tell you! Punish us!"

As the Aardvark wearer began to curl himself and rolled back and forth, the Piranha wearer facepalmed at seeing this. "Alako, could you be so kind."

The Koala wearer, Alako complied. He approached the Aardvark wearer. He grabbed and shook him violently for a few minutes before putting him down.

"Better?" Alako inquired his comrade.

"Yes," said the Aardvark wearer who has swirls around his eyes.

The captives continued watching with befuddlement. Blake stared at the ones who attacked her and Sun. While they looked human, their appearances made them looked like Grimm. Also from what she had gathered, these Grimm-like individuals were trying to find something. Something that Roman had.

One White Fang member murmured to his comrade who was stuck beside him, "I knew working with this human was going to lead to trouble."

"Excuse me," Roman snapped. "I can hear you."

"That's the idea, dumbass," The White Fang mook deadpanned.

"I have to agree with Putty Patroller, this really looks like your fault," Sun mocked the criminal.

Roman gritted his teeth. "And how do all of you know?"

Another White Fang mook filled in, "They seemed to know you."

Then another, "Your face was an indication."

A third mook continued, "Plus, you said 'uh oh!'. Unless you were looking at the Officer Hotpants Billboard, that means you were referring to these guys which means you know them."

"Three strikes and you're out," Sun giggled to himself.

Before Roman was about to talk back, Blake voiced out, "I have questions Torchwick."

The criminal looked at the female Faunus who resumed talking, "Who or what are they? Where did they come from? And why do they look like Grimm?"

Roman was about to say that she has no right to ask but given the situation he had no choice. For once, he complied, "I can't answer questions one and three because I have no idea what they are but I can answer question two. It all started a year ago, a friend of mine contacted me. He said that he found something outside the walls and that whatever it was will make him rich. Naturally as an opportunistic businessman, I couldn't resist."

As they listened, Roman continued, "I arrived and my friend led me to a mountain. What was weird about it was that lodged on to it was a fortress."

"A fortress?" Blake repeated.

"Yes, a fortress kitty cat." After receiving a glare from the girl, Roman continued, "Anyway, we entered the damn thing and encountered these guys. They picked us off one by one until I was left. I managed to get out of there and blasted the place to the ground with explosives. After that, it came down along with the entire mountain and a large portion of the land. I thought that was it until...you know."

"You drop a mountain on them," Sun whistled. "No wonder they're pissed."

"What did you take?"

"What?" Roman turned to Blake.

Blake said, "I overheard one of their conversations and based on what I'm hearing, they're trying to find something which belonged to them. Something which you STOLE from them. That's why they are keeping us alive because they think you or one of us know where it is. So let me repeat, what did you take?"

After Blake, soon Sun and even Roman's White Fang allies glared at Roman as well. Their suspicions were correct. It was Torchwick's fault that they were in this mess. Roman shifted his eyes in response. Meanwhile back to the robed ones, they were having a discussion.

"What are we going to do, Ranha?" said the Aardvark wearer to the Piranha wearer named Ranha.

Ranha tried to calm her comrade. "Look Varkaad, there are many places we haven't search yet. The piece might be there."

"We may not need to search further my comrades." Alako's voice attracted the two. "Because our guests have woken up."

Alako pointed at the awakened captives. With that, the three grinned. As this happened, all of a sudden, a torn metal safe was smashed through a window of an office and crashed to the floor below.

Everyone then looked at the one at the office who threw the safe. Blake noticed that many of them were silent when they saw him. Blake deduced he must be the leader. He wore robes and has markings on his face like the others before him. However, the armor on his shoulders and ornament on his head were that of a deer.

The Deer wearer have a look at those below. He turned to the Aardvark wearer who panicked. The Deer user asked, "Have you found it?"

"Nothing yet, my Lord," whimpered the Aardvark wearer.

The Deer wearer growled ferally frightening Varkaad.

Ranha intervened. "However we do have one good news my Lord. Our guests have awakened."

The leader turned to the ones that were cocooned in his black ooze and saw they have awakened. Growling once more, the figure with the deer ornament leapt off the office and landed to the ground floor leaving a crater as a result.

He walked over to the captives, focusing on Roman who was chuckling nervously. "Hello fine sir, it is an honor seeing you again. Still wearing black I see. Of course you are, black brings out your charm."

Before Roman could try to say more to save his own skin, the leader suddenly grabbed ahold of the criminal's neck. The monster snarled. "Quiet you pest."

"Okay...okay...shutting up."

"You will only speak when I order you to do so and that time is now." the leader neared his face to Roman's. Then, the Deer wearer's eyes glowed bright red. "_Where is the Forge_? And I'm not talking about that workshop not far from here."

"Alright!" Roman choked. "I'll talk my Lord...what was your name again?"

"My name?" the leader stopped before giving a dark chuckle. "I once go by the name, Reedolph, member of the illustrious martial arts order, the RinJyuKen Akugata and master of the RinJyu Deer-Ken. However after abandoning my former school, I go by a new name."

The Deer user let go of Roman and boastfully shouted, "You may call me, Wendigo, Lord and Master of the splinter faction, the Grim Claw!"

"What's a Wendigo?" asked one White Fang member.

Wendigo heard and looked at the Faunus. During that brief moment, the goo that cocooned Roman started to light up with orange-yellow. Then, it exploded blinding many with its dust.

Roman landed on the floor and quickly fled to the exit. After blasting away Rinshi and Rinrinshi that got in his way, he succeeded to the door and got out.

Roman looked at his right hand which now had a mechanical gauntlet which allowed him to escape. He always carry this in case of situations like this.

Before he could flee more and cheer on at his victory, he suddenly stopped. Roman was left motionless with his left foot nearly stepping on the ground. Roman was barely able to move his mouth or move his eyes. "What - is - happening?"

And then, he started floating above the ground before returning back to the factory. Once inside, he saw the many kaijin looking very rageful right now. Then, he suddenly turned and Roman saw it was Wendigo who was responsible for him coming back.

"Telepathy," Wendigo grinned. "A useful Semblance I say. It was very fortunate that I found one Huntsman possessing this ability."

Sun and Blake heard what Wendigo had just said and were disturbed. It almost sounded like that he took someone's Semblance. They wanted to know but at the same time they don't.

After that, Roman fell to the ground hard. Wendigo went to the criminal and slammed his foot against his chest. It must have been painful as Roman began coughing blood upon being hit.

"For a criminal who is the scourge of the four kingdoms, you are incredibly easy to bring down to your knees or the back as the case may be," Wendigo mocked. Roman couldn't answer as he was gasping for air. Wendigo gave a dark grin. "Your lackey queried why I took on the name, Wendigo. An excellent question. What is a Wendigo? Well, let me show you."

Everyone watched Wendigo giving off a dark aura.

"_Jujin_," Wendigo sinisterly whispered, "_Jashin Hen_."

Wendigo's body started bulging and slowly peeling before exploding in a cloud of dark red. The captives opened their eyes and their eyes went wide. Wendigo has changed. No longer having a human shaped head. Instead, Wendigo now has a head of a deer with pointed ears. Atop his head were the antlers that were stained in blood. On his black clothed body were plates of white armor with red marks like a Grimm's body. Over his blood red eyes was a Grimm mask. His feet were hooves and he had bracers and his hands ended in sharp claws.

Wendigo had some fresh air before looking at the downed Roman. He removed his leg, grabbed Roman by the shoulder and pulled the man towards him. "_RinJyu Deer-Ken! Ringi! __Shōka Dōka__!_"

All of a sudden, the criminal started to shake. His body was moving uncontrollably. He began to scream in pain for some reason. The captives watched and then gasped in horror as Roman's skin began to...peel off.

Blake, along with a few others turned their heads away from the sight. After the skin, muscles and organs began to liquefy. Then came the bones. All of them were pulled by a mysterious force and entered into Wendigo's mouth.

After it entered, Wendigo closed his mouth. "Mmmm. That hit the spot."

Wendigo then spoke to the Koala Rinrinshi, "There is a hidden safe inside the wall behind you. Break it open Alako."

Alako complied. He walked to the wall and smashed his fist into it. Wendigo was correct as there was a safe. Alako forcefully pulled it out and threw it towards the group.

When it landed near him, Wendigo kneeled down and turned the safe's lock. Blake watched what the Deer Rinrinshi was doing and was then astonished to see that he gave the correct combination as the safe opened soon after. Blake didn't understand. How did this Wendigo now found the hidden safe and succeeded in opening it in the first try? Only Torchwick knew where the safe was and knew the combination.

Then, it hit her.

Only Torchwick knew. The horrifying spell that Wendigo had inflicted upon him was more than just consuming. When Wendigo consumed, he took everything from his victim. Memories, secrets and even obtaining one's Semblance.

Blake was horrified and thought to herself, '_What are they?_'

Wendigo reached inside the safe. Lien poured out until Wendigo pulled out the item he sought.

Wendigo and his cohorts stared at the item in awe. Blake was able to have a look at it. On the palm of Wendigo's hand, it was a jewel. It was beautiful. One could say it could rivaled any gems or treasures in Remnant. It was small and egg shaped that it can work as a necklace. And the color was an ominous dark violet.

"My Lord, what do we do with the rest?" inquired Ranha.

"Have these Faunus to be added to our army," Wendigo calmly replied.

"Army?" Blake whispered.

Before she could think about this further, Wendigo approached her. He leaned towards the Faunus' face and began sniffing at her that looked perverse followed by brushing his hand across the face much to the girl's mixed of shock and disgust. "So young, so beautiful. You'll make a fine general."

Wendigo took another sniff and Blake struggled. Sun after seeing what Wendigo was doing to Blake was angered and shouted, "Get your hands off her you son of a-"

Sun couldn't finish as Wendigo in an instant had used his other arm to grip on Sun's throat tightly.

"SUN!" Blake cried out.

"Your soul will be harvested first," Wendigo snarled before seconds later, he let go of the Faunus. Wendigo stepped back and nodded his minions to do their thing. Just as they were about to…

CRASH!

...help has arrived. Windows were smashed upon and fireballs and swords entered the factory. Rinshi and Rinrinshi were blown back or stabbed. Next to enter was a red blur that sped towards the surprised Grim Claw. The undead martial artists didn't had time to respond as the red blur cut several of them down with her big red scythe.

After blasting away several more Rinshi, the figure twirled her red scythe around, blowing away the smoke revealing herself to be...

"Ruby?" gasped Blake.

The surprised Ruby Rose turned and saw her comrade. "Blake, are you okay?"

Next thing to occur was the main doors of the factory exploding and collapsed to the ground. With it, three girls entered. One had smoke coming out of her gauntlets while another has swords floating around her.

Yang spotted the monsters of Grim Claw. The blonde gave a cheeky smile while pounding her Ember Celica together. "So boys and girls, who wants to go first?"

The Grim Claw growled before several undergo their transformations. "_Jujin Jashin Hen_!"

The Wolf Rinrinshi turned into their lycan-like forms. Their faces had metal plates over their mouths with glowing red eyes and lupine ears. Their bodies were black while the armor were white with the chest armor looked like Beowolves.

Ranha developed a more feminine figure with dark, scale-covered skin. She wore what looked like a silver bikini armor and had fins on the back of her calves and on her forearms. Her face resembled a fish with gills and a fin on top. Her mouth was filled with sharp teeth and she had red markings on her body like a Grimm.

Alako had a more portly looking form known by its fat. But it was not just fat, it was also muscle. He had on what appeared to be a pair of shorts and he had red and white tape wrapped around his forearms and his feet. He wore shoulder pads and a chestplate that were white with red markings and his Grimm mask covered everything except for his ears.

With that, the two forces headed to confront one another.

Yang made the first hit sending a Rinshi crashing to the ground. She then dived into a group of them. Ducking under their swipes, Yang blasted them in the guts.

Yang then used both of her hands to grab two Rinshi by the heads and smacked them together. After punching a few more Rinshi into the air, she rammed through and started shooting firebolts at either Rinshi or Rinrinshi.

One bolt exploded beside Ranha who snarled in anger before materializing a bone like sword that have teeth on the edges and assaulted the blonde. Yang spotted her and jumped away from being hit.

"Hey lady, don't bring a sword in a fist fight," Yang joked before firing firebolts.

Seeing the firebolts, the Piranha Rinrinshi spun her blade in front of herself like a spinning fan. The bolts made contact and in a flash they suddenly went past the fish woman and exploded behind her.

Ranha brushed her fingers on her sword. "If this is a fist fight, why bring bullets?"

"Touché." Yang rushed towards Ranha. Yang threw a few punches with Ranha stepping back and blocking the blonde's attacks with her sword. Ranha thrusted her sword causing Yang to step to the side.

Ranha moved forward as she swung her blade. As she did this, the fish woman chanted, "_RinJyu Piranha-Ken! Ringi! __Tēru Henkan__!_"

After blocking the attacks, Yang step to the left and when the blade went past her, Yang grabbed the arm holding it. She readied another punch but got slapped in the face.

Yang stumbled back. She shook it off, looked up and to her shock saw Ranha's legs were gone and replacing them was a fish tail. Despite this, the blonde girl fight on. Yang charged and threw a punch at the fish woman.

Just as Yang's fist was near the face, the fish woman suddenly jumped up, avoiding the punch.

Yang blinked in confusion only to receive a smack in the face by a tail fin. Yang recoiled back. She then stared at Ranha who was actually flying through the air. The way she flew looked as if she was swimming in water. Ranha spun around and slapped Yang again sending her back.

"You're looking bright red Blondie. Let me fin you," mocked Ranha who swung her tail once more.

* * *

Weiss used her glyphs to launch herself into the undead horde and hit a couple of them before landing. Dodging several swipes, Weiss slashed them across the chests or arms.

Weiss looked up to see a Beowolf Rinrinshi that was about to body slam her only for Penny to jump in and kick it away.

Thanks to Penny, Weiss could impaled her Myrtenaster into the ground turning part of the floor into a sheet of ice. The Rinshi whose feet were on the ice were struggling or fell down. Weiss then skated gracefully on the ice and delivered more damage on the enemy.

Alako looked at this and was not impressed.

"_RinJyu Koala-Ken! Ringi! __Koara no Tsume Kōgeki__!_"

The Rinrinshi's short claws turned into 12 inch long claws. With that, Alako jumped into the air.

After slashing a Rinshi, Weiss spotted the monstrous marsupial. The heiress jumped out of the way before Alako slammed his claws into the ice. The ice field exploded after that.

Alako headed to his opponent, trying to claw her. Weiss used her glyphs to go straight up into the air before launching herself to him and thrusted her rapier. She hit him. She repeated this tactic several times before returning to the ground and delivered three more slashes.

Unfortunately, Alako caught the third strike with his claw. He used this chance to swipe at Weiss. Weiss was hit and she then saw another claw attack.

Weiss quickly jumped out of the way and avoided the swipe. Landed, Weiss noticed the sleeve of her dress was shredded. Weiss glared at Alako whose claw held the torn part before he threw it away.

Weiss was shown to be a little displeased at this. She impaled her rapier once more and the ice was headed towards Alako. Then, giant ice crystals burst out of the ground enveloping the Rinrinshi trapping him in an icy prison.

Weiss was relieved for a while until the ice prison started to shake and then exploded. The kaijin, freed from his icy prison, growled. "I hate the cold."

* * *

Meanwhile as the battle raged on, Ruby attempted to free Blake and the other captives.

"Eeewww." Ruby had just touched the slime and was grossed out. Seeing this was taking too long, Blake called out.

"Ruby." Blake got her friend's attention. "There's a glove on the floor. Do you see it?"

Ruby looked around and found the glove belonging to the deceased Roman Torchwick. "Yeah."

"Use it. It generates enough heat that can hardened the slime for us to break free."

"Got it." Ruby put it on and activated it. When she touched the slime with the glove, the slime hardened. With that, Blake and the others broke free from their prison.

When Blake landed, Ruby then went to hug her friend. "I'm so happy you're safe."

Blake was about to reply until Yang skidded near the group while grappling with a snarling Beowolf Rinrinshi whose claws were very near her golden locks.

Yang called out to them, "If you guys are finished, perhaps you can help us in fighting these guys."

Ruby, Blake and Sun looked to the White Fang who instead of helping, fled for their lives. So, it was just the three of them to help their friends.

Blake soon noticed one Rinrinshi was not fighting. She found him, Wendigo and he was about to make his leave along with the jewel. She did not know what does the jewel do but she had the feeling something bad will happen if this monster left with it.

"Stop Wendigo!" Blake shouted.

"Wen-who?" Ruby was puzzled until Blake bolted away. "Blake, wait."

* * *

Wendigo was completely aware of the fighting that was occurring right now but he did not care and simply let his forces to take care of it. He had what he needed.

As he was about leave, he sensed danger and turned around to block a strike. Wendigo pushed back his attacker and saw it was Blake. However when Wendigo saw her, he did not feel threatened. Instead, he chuckled.

Blake charged right in and try to hit the leader of the Grim Claw with her blade. Wendigo stepped back from it.

It was a one sided battle. Blake swung her katana at the head but Wendigo moved his head back. Blake thrusted her blade but Wendigo sidestepped to the right. The cat Faunus did a flying kick and Wendigo casually ducked under it.

Every time Blake attacked, Wendigo avoided them with surprising speed and he was doing this with his hands behind his back. He was merely toying with her.

Having grown bored of this, Wendigo struck back. After dodging another attack, Wendigo raised his leg and kicked Blake. Blake stumbled back but she shrugged it off and resumed fighting. Wendigo avoided another swipe and sent a palm strike at Blake's back. Blake turned around and received a left hook that sent her skidding across the floor.

Not far, Ruby had swung her Crescent Rose down, taking out a Beowolf Rinrinshi before pressing the trigger and the recoil sent her spinning and hitting many enemies at once.

After halting, she then noticed her friend in trouble. "Blake!"

Ruby used her speed Semblance to dash towards Wendigo. She was near and readied her Crescent Rose. At her speed, the force of the blow would be devastating. With a yell, she brought her Crescent Rose down upon Wendigo's head.

It connected but to Ruby's surprise, the blade did not make a scratch upon Wendigo's head. Wendigo halted and looked at the new attacker. Ruby gasped as Wendigo grabbed hold of her Crescent Rose and dragged her over to him. She tried to pull her weapon free from his grasp but his grip was firm.

"Were you hoping of cutting me in half, little girl?" asked Wendigo.

Ruby's eyes narrowed as she pulled the trigger, hitting Wendigo with a Dust round at full blank. She did this repeatedly until her entire cartridge was emptied. Much to her amazement, no marks were left by her projectiles.

Wendigo scoffed and smacked Ruby with his other hand, knocking her to the ground. He examined her weapon before carrying it over to Ruby as she groaned.

"This didn't cut me, but perhaps it will cut you," Wendigo threatened as he raised it up, only to suddenly be hit by an immense blast of green energy that engulfed him. He was sent flying and tumbling along the ground, dropping the Crescent Rose and his prized jewel along the way.

Ruby looked at the person who fired that beam. It was Penny. Before making their grand entrance, Ruby along with Yang and Weiss discovered Penny's true combat potential which was summoning these swords from her backpack. Penny could also configure the swords together into any shape making new attacks. Weiss and Yang just jaw dropped when they saw it while Ruby went hyper upon seeing it and wanted to know how it works once this was over.

"Ruby, are you unharmed?" Penny asked her new friend.

"Just a bit sore, but I'm fine," Ruby answered. Thank goodness for her Aura.

"A lucky shot but still utterly futile."

Relief was cut short when a voice was heard that gained the girls' attention. Penny and Ruby turned to the presumed defeated Wendigo but to their shock, the kaijin picked himself up and dusted off his clothes. After being hit by a beam that size, he remain unharmed. The leader of the Grim Claw cracked his neck before turning to his enemies.

Wendigo noticed Penny was about to fire that green beam but Wendigo was not fazed by this as he knew what to do next. At the Rinrinshi's hand, electricity was forming around his fingers. Just as Penny was about to fire, Wendigo fired first, sending huge lightning bolts to hit Penny.

Lightning flowed into Penny's body as sparks were flying everywhere. Penny began to shake violently. Her eyes were twitching and flailing her arms and legs everywhere. With one final push from Wendigo, Penny was sent flying and she crashed into a pile of boxes.

"PENNY!" Ruby shouted in horror. Penny did not respond. She laid motionless and smoke rose from her body. It wasn't long before horror quickly turned into rage. Ruby gritted her teeth and gave a wrathful glare at Wendigo. This person hurt her friend. Now, she decided she was going to hurt him in return. She grabbed her scythe and roared as she confronted Wendigo once again.

* * *

Sun jumped and attacked the Rinshi. He took out his staff and hitting five Rinshi that were going to attack him. Sun performed a bicycle kick on a sixth Rinshi before sending it flying towards two Beowolf Rinrinshi with one smacking the mook away.

Sun swung his staff but the Beowolf Rinrinshi blocked the blow with its claw. Sun then swung at the side but the monster blocked that as well. The Rinrinshi ducked allowing the other to leapt over it and punched Sun in the chest.

The monkey Faunus changed tactics as he turned his staff into its nunchaku form. Sun fired everything he got but surprisingly the two kaijin dodged them with shocking speed. Sun got hit with a dropkick but he managed to dodge a claw swipe.

When they were close, Sun swung his weapons firing at a fast pace. Many shots hit at the Beowolves' hide. It seemed to be pushing them back until the two Beowolves broke through and punched simultaneously sending Sun into the air.

* * *

Just after picking herself up, Blake was attacked by Rinshi who fired a barrage of blasts at her. She ran to avoid them. After taking cover in one of the machines, Blake opened fire on them. She converted her katana into its pistol form and swung it around, shooting the undead that appeared from all sides.

Hearing a roar, Blake saw a Beowolf Rinrinshi attempting to strike her down. Blake blocked the attack with her Gambol Shroud. She jumped back avoiding another claw swipe.

Blake threw her pistol and twirled it around, leaving slashes on the beast. The Rinrinshi saw the pistol coming back and avoided it before speeding towards the cat Faunus.

The Rinrinshi delivered a kick but hit Blake's shadow clone instead. Blake swung her sheath up, hitting it at the chin followed by firing bullets into the monster's stomach. The Beowolf Rinrinshi still stand from Blake's bullets and retaliated by headbutting her.

* * *

The battle was not in the humans and Faunus' favor. They had faced criminal masterminds and giant monsters but the people they're confronting were on a different level.

Ruby was pushed back by Wendigo's palm strike. Like Blake before, Ruby was totally outmatched by this monstrous stag. Ruby stumbled back and spotted Wendigo who was about to swipe at her. She moved her Crescent Rose in front to defend herself but the swipe hit the weapon instead and it was sent flying from her hands.

Ruby, now without her Crescent Rose, stared at Wendigo who towered menacingly over her. Without her Crescent Rose, Ruby had to go physical. She ran to him and delivered several punches but unfortunately, it had no effect.

With that, Wendigo finally punched the girl in the face and she was sent skidding across the ground.

Fortunately, Ruby was still breathing. Wendigo walked towards the young Huntress who despite being inflicted with these brutal attacks tried her best to get up again. Ruby knew things were getting grim but that won't stop her. Her friends were in danger and when they're in danger, she will not stop fighting until they're safe.

As she continued trying to picked herself up, one of her hands landed on something. Ruby sensed what she touched. She picked it up and looked at what she was holding.

Finally, Wendigo arrived and grabbed Ruby. Wendigo looked at his fallen opponent with sadistic glee. "Your skills are remarkable. You could have been wonderful in my army but I think abilities such as yours would be better off with me."

Ruby tried hard to escape as Wendigo was preparing to devour her. But it was futile.

Wendigo was about to finish it until a light shone on his face. The Deer Rinrinshi stopped what he was doing. The light was so bright that he was nearly blinded by this and used his other hand to block it.

He wondered where did the light came from. He searched and found where it was. The light was coming from Ruby's hand. Narrowing his eyes closer, he discovered what she was holding. It was the jewel.

Just as he realized this, the light began to glow brighter. The light grew stronger as it spread across the battlefield. The combatants saw this and all closed their eyes as the light enveloped them.

The light continued this way for a few minutes before it finally died down. One by one, everyone opened their eyes. When Wendigo opened his, the first thing he saw was an orange blade swung at him.

**SLASH!**

To Wendigo's surprise, the blade cut through him as spark burst out of his body. Wendigo stumbled back in pain which resulted in him to let go of Ruby. Ruby dropped to the floor and coughed for air.

Everyone in the factory stopped fighting to stare at Wendigo and the one who successfully managed in landing a blow on him.

Ruby, having taken some deep breaths, finally looked at what was going on. What she saw blew her mind away. Standing in front of the Huntress in training was a warrior.

He wore a blue bodysuit with gold bracers and greaves on his arms and legs. He wore a belt that had a black belt buckle and a gold strap with a sword attached to the left side of his waist. The armor that covered the suit made him looked like a samurai. Lastly on the warrior's hand was an orange slice-like blade. Ruby couldn't believe it. This was the warrior from her dreams; the masked rider.

"Where am I?" Gaim wondered as he saw the abandoned factory. As Gaim tried to understand the situation he was in, Wendigo while touching the place where the Daidaimaru hit him stared at Gaim almost at disbelief. The other members of the Grim Claw panicked at the sight of this new arrival.

"An Armored War God!" shouted the Piranha Rinrinshi.

"A what?" Yang voiced, having heard Ranha's yell.

"Take him down! Take him down now!" Varkaad barked non-stop at the Rinshi and Rinrinshi to attack the new individual.

Hearing the yells, Gaim saw the Rinshi coming at him and he narrowed his eyes. While he had questions of where he was, there was absolutely no question of what he must do.

"You wanna fight? Well, then you're getting one! I am Armored War God Gaim!" Gaim drew his Musou Saber and shouldered it. "The Ultimate Sword, Arriving on Stage!"

He dashed forward and slashed at the Rinshi in his path. He spun around and shot them with the Musou Saber as well before swiftly taking them down. Connecting his swords together, he ducked under a Rinshi's swing and locked his Orange Lockseed into the Musou Saber.

"**LOCK ON!"**

"**1, 10, 100, 1,000, 10,000!"**

"Hyah! Hyah! Hyah!" Gaim shouted as he spun in a circle and swung his sword repeatedly.

"**ORANGE CHARGE!"**

The resulting energy release took on the shape of an energy slice which bisected the Rinshi around him.

A Beowolf Rinrinshi tackled into Gaim and knocked him down. The Rinshi followed their comrade's lead and started to dogpile on Gaim, burying him under a pile made out of their bodies. The idea was to wear him out so it would be much easier to take him down.

The idea didn't work out, however, when a loud announcement was heard.

"**SOIYA! PINE ARMS!"**

The Rinshi screamed as an energy shockwave threw them into the air as a pineapple-shaped Armor Part landed on Gaim's head before disassembling to form his armor.

"**FUNSAI DESTROY!"**

Gaim twirled the Pine Iron above his head and began to hurl it at the Rinshi, knocking them down painfully. He used it like a club to bludgeon his opponents before hitting his belt's Cutting Blade twice.

"**SOIYA! PINE AU LAIT!"**

He threw the Pine Iron, tying up the Rinshi together with the chain before he jumped and performed a flying kick, destroying them with a violent explosion.

"Now it's time for some precision," Gaim uttered.

"**BLUEBERRY! LOCK ON! SOIYA! BLUEBERRY ARMS! ALLONS-Y, EN GARDE!"**

Gaim entered a fencer's stance, brandishing the Berrapier and Blue Gauche before he swiftly glided towards his opponents. He wasted no movements as he used his weapons to perform precise and lethal strikes upon the Rinshi. They fell by his blades as he systematically took them down with ease.

Still, their numbers were huge and it seemed like there was no end to them.

"Gotta wipe them all out now," Gaim said to himself before activating his Ichigo Lockseed.

"**ICHIGO! LOCK ON! SOIYA! ICHIGO ARMS! SHUSHUTTO SPARK!"**

He drew his Musou Saber and quickly transferred his Ichigo Lockseed from his Sengoku Driver to the Musou Saber's Drive Launch.

"**1, 10, 100! ICHIGO CHARGE!"**

With a loud yell, Gaim swung and shot out a large collection of explosive Ichigo Kunai which swarmed the Rinshi and Beowolf Rinrinshi, destroying them instantly. He repeated this several more times, destroying more and more of them.

After destroying a large majority, Gaim took notice of Wendigo and concluded, '_That must be the leader_.'

Gaim finally analyzed the RinJyuKen. While they wore the robes of the undead school, their appearance were completely different. Looking further, they had an uncanny resemblance to the monsters that attacked Shoku during the Blossom Festival.

Gaim quickly rushed towards Wendigo who snarled, "I don't have time for this, Varkaad!"

As commanded, Varkaad attacked Gaim. Gaim saw this and blocked the attack. The two clashed with each other until the Aardvark Rinrinshi pushed his opponent and himself into the wall. The wall collapsed and both combatants were out of the factory.

After seeing that, Wendigo swatted away a pair of swords that were about to hit him.

Ruby, still on the floor recognized those swords. Hearing footsteps, Ruby looked to her left and saw…Penny. The surprised Ruby stared. She thought Penny died. Looking at the freckled girl. Other than a few burn marks, Penny was unharmed.

Penny having noticed Ruby, gave a helping hand to her. Ruby took it and she got off the ground. After that, the girl in the red hood teared up a bit before embracing Penny in a hug. "Penny, you're alright."

She thought Penny was dead. She couldn't be even more happier that she was wrong.

Penny realizing she had scared her friend gave a warm smile. "Of course I am, Ruby."

After easing Ruby, Penny then glared at Wendigo who was still amazed at seeing her alive. Penny gently pushed Ruby away. "Ruby, you take a rest. I'll handle this."

Penny summoned more of her blades and was ready to take on the enemy. Then, Ruby's hand touched her shoulder.

"No, we do this together," said Ruby who had just retrieved her Crescent Rose and reloaded it with a new cartridge. She had also put the jewel she found into her pouch.

Smiling, Penny nodded in agreement and with that, they attacked Wendigo.

* * *

Outside the factory, it didn't took long for Gaim and Varkaad to take their battle into the city. Gaim charged at the Rinrinshi. The Rinrinshi performed a backflip and landed on a car. Gaim jumped onto the car and started trading blows with the Rinrinshi. A kick sent the Rinrinshi sprawling to the ground. Gaim then pointed and fired his Musou Saber, forcing the Rinrinshi to roll out of the way.

"Dammit! _Jujin Jashin Hen_!" the Rinrinshi roared and changed into what appeared to be a demonic warrior modeled after an aardvark. He had a hump on his back and had clawed gauntlets on his forearms. His face had a long, trunk-like nose and had short ears. He also had small eyes but they were hidden by his Grimm mask.

"RinJyu Aardvark-Ken! Varkaad!" the Rinrinshi declared in his Beastman form.

The Aardvark Beastman then made his offensive. "_RinJyu Aardvark-Ken! Ringi! __Shita Surappu__!_" The Rinrinshi attacked as a long tongue shot out of the aardvark's face on his chest. Gaim did not see it coming as he was slapped and sent flying off the car. Gaim went tumbling. The tongue then wrapped around his ankle and dragged him over to Varkaad who had energy clenched in his fist.

"_RinJyu Aardvark-Ken! Ringi! Ari no __Kōgeki__!_" Varkaad shouted as the energy turned into a swarm of ants that crawled all over Gaim. They bit into his armor and Gaim cried out as each of the ants were trying to cut holes into his armor to get in and bite him to death.

Gaim collapsed to the ground. Varkaad started giggling maniacally, believing he had won until his arrogance blinded him from what was happening in front of him. Gaim pulled out the Musou Saber and fired two shots at Varkaad. The Rinrinshi was thrown backwards from the shot, releasing Gaim, and breaking his concentration. Gaim felt relieved when he didn't feel the ants biting him but he still ached in places.

Gaim returned to his feet and unlocked his Orange Lockseed and Grapefruit Energy Lockseed.

"**ORANGE!"**

"_**GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!**_**"**

After replacing the Ichigo Lockseed with the Orange Lockseed and placing the Grapefruit Energy Lockseed into the Genesis Core, he locked them in and hit the Cutting Blade.

"_**LOCK ON! SOIYA!"**_

The Orange and Grapefruit Energy Armor Parts fused together to form the Jimber Armor Part before coming down to become his armor.

"_**MIX! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!"**_

Varkaad got back to his feet only to be assaulted by a barrage of energy bolts fired by Gaim. He was sent backing away by each shot. He tried to dodge the shots but they curved in the air and hit him no matter where he went.

Deciding to go melee, Gaim charged at his opponent and slashed him with his Sonic Arrow. Gaim struck Varkaad repeatedly with the blades of the Sonic Arrow before a swipe from Varkaad sent him flying. Gaim flipped through the air and pulled the Sonic Arrow's shaft before releasing a shot that curved through the air to hit Varkaad in the chest.

Gaim managed to land on his feet and continued to fire on Varkaad. Gaim wasn't going to let him go and decided to finish the fight. He struck his Sengoku Driver's Cutting Blade and prepared his finisher.

"_**SOIYA! ORANGE SQUASH! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT SQUASH!"**_

Gaim fired his Sonic Arrow and a series of alternating orange and grapefruit slices lined up between him and Varkaad. Leaping into the air, Gaim executed a flying kick as he flew through the slices, his body being covered by energy before he smashed his foot into Varkaad who screamed as he exploded.

* * *

Back at the factory, many of the kaijin forces have been destroyed thanks to Gaim leaving only a small number left.

With it, the Huntresses in training and their friends caught their second wind.

Sun had used his Semblance to summoned two energy clones of himself. Both clones rushed towards Alako and exploded upon contact.

Alako was distracted and Blake jumped in and swung her Gambol Shroud in its sheath form down on Alako. Leaping back, Blake swung her Gambol Shroud and delivered additional hits.

Weiss had just cut down a Beowolf Rinrinshi while Yang defended the white haired girl from a strike by another Beowolf Rinrinshi before sending it away in flames.

The two girls jumped away avoiding a swipe from the air by Ranha. Yang and Weiss fired everything they had, leading Ranha to avoid the projectiles.

As for Ruby and Penny, they were dodging crimson blasts from Wendigo. After avoiding another blast, Ruby and Penny fired bolts and swords pushing Wendigo back.

Wendigo fired again. Penny sent her swords and managed to tangle Wendigo's arm with the strings attached to them. She pulled the strings causing Wendigo to stumble.

Ruby took the opportunity to attack and landed a few slashes on him. Wendigo may have taken on Ruby and Penny individually but now that the two teamed up, the odds were almost even.

Releasing Wendigo, Penny barraged the Deer Rinrinshi with more swords. Ruby sped towards Wendigo. Accelerating to her fullest, she jumped and spun herself. Even the hood followed Ruby's action and it soon wrapped around her turning her into a drill.

Ruby landed a direct hit causing Wendigo to grunt until he roared and sent out a shockwave that sent Ruby back. Penny caught her friend on time.

"I had enough of this!" Wendigo yelled. He was about to use another Semblance until fate intervened.

"_**GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!"**_

A charged energy arrow struck Wendigo and sent him toppling as it exploded. The arrow belonged to Gaim who had returned to the factory. He noticed Ruby and Penny.

"Are you girls alright?" Gaim asked the two who were stunned by his appearance.

They remained silent for a while. Gaim gotten worried believing they were really hurt until Ruby finally blurted out, "You're the guy!"

"I'm sorry...what?" Gaim took a step back from Ruby's shout. However, Gaim noticed the shout was not the distressed/panicked type but an excited/joyous type.

Ruby shook Penny's shoulders as she excitedly shouted, "Penny, he's the guy! He's the guy from my dream!"

Ruby pointed Penny to the samurai. Penny didn't understand what was happening but she went along with it regardless and cheerfully greeted, "Hi Ruby's guy!"

Gaim was...confused at what was happening. That was not the kind of reaction he was expecting. He did experienced Ryuubi's but this one was...different. Suddenly, a thought came to him. Gaim looked at the girl with the red hood. She looked familiar to him. Did he saw her before?

Not long, Yang appeared to the group having leapt back to avoid being hit. "I'm really starting to hate that scaly bit-"

"Yang!" Ruby nudged Yang. "Look, it's the guy! The guy from my dream!"

"Sis, this is not the time." Yang tried to calm her sister down. However after Ruby said Yang's name, Gaim took a step back.

"Yang?" Gaim whispered. This blonde had the same name as his adopted mother. Gaim analyzed the blonde named Yang. When he did, he gasped after that. Not only by name, the teenager actually looked like a younger version of his adopted mother. Then, the word 'sis' entered his mind. The girl with the hood was the blonde's sister. Does that mean she's...

Yang finally looked at the orange samurai but she raised an eyebrow at seeing his weird behavior. "Uhhh…what's wrong with him?"

No one said as Ruby was suddenly tackled by Ranha attracting their attention. Ruby struggled but Ranha proved stronger as she grabbed the jewel from Ruby's pouch and then tossed the girl away.

"Aha!" Ranha cheered until she got kicked in the chest by Blake causing her to drop the jewel to the floor.

Wendigo shook his head off and saw the jewel. He barked to his cohorts, "Obtain the Forge!"

Blake shouted as well, "Get the jewel!"

Alako was the first to grab the jewel but Yang's fireballs hit him. Blinded in the smoke, the jewel he held was snatched away by Sun.

Sun dodged several pounces by Rinshi and Rinrinshi until a Beowolf Rinrinshi kicked the jewel out of his hand and two Rinshi pounced on the Faunus.

Amazingly, the jewel landed on Weiss' palm who was wondering what was happening right now. Then Ranha appeared and slapped the white haired girl with her fin causing Weiss to drop the jewel. Luckily, Yang caught it.

"I got it!" Yang cheered until two giant clawed hands grabbed her from behind.

Alako snarled. "I'll snap your neck!"

But before he could commit the act, Gaim tackled Alako. Then, Gaim proceeded to mercilessly strike the Koala Beastman with his Sonic Arrow without giving him a chance to fight back.

Yang was distracted, leading Wendigo to fire a surprise shot at the jewel from her hand. The jewel was in the air once more. Wendigo head to it but he was too late as Blake caught it.

Angered, Wendigo fired crimson blasts at her. But before he could do more, Ruby and Penny grabbed him, trying to hold him down.

Blake fled until Ranha appeared in front of her. Ranha hit Blake with her tail. The jewel flew from Blake's grip and Ranha possessed it.

"HAAHH!" Suddenly, Ranha looked up and witnessed the now fiery haired Yang descending towards her with a fiery fist. Then came the explosion.

Wendigo has just tossed Ruby and Penny away while Gaim had just blasted Alako into a machine. The two soon saw the jewel flew past them before it landed on the ground once again.

After seeing that the jewel was not far from where they stood, the two glared at one another.

Gaim don't know what the jewel was but if the RinJyuKen were after it, that meant it was not good.

Gaim and Wendigo remained where they were for a while before running towards the jewel. As they made their way, the two exchanged blasts at one another. Both were very near to the jewel. After jumping over Wendigo's blast, Gaim fired his arrows.

Wendigo fired more blasts but as they were about to destroy Gaim's arrows, the arrows curved. The arrows avoided the blasts surprising Wendigo who then got hit by them.

With it, Gaim was first. He leapt and grabbed the jewel. Suddenly after that, a dark hand grabbed his hand that held the jewel and it belonged to Wendigo.

The two struggled, both determined to have it. But before it continued even further, the jewel responded once more. All of a sudden, the light returned and enveloped the factory once more. It died down a while later. The Grim Claw opened their eyes. They looked around and saw the humans and Faunus that gave them so much trouble were gone.

Wendigo searched and found that the samurai was gone as well. Then, he noticed a light below him. Wendigo looked down at the floor and saw the jewel. The rock glow for a short while before it stopped and died down returning to its normal state.

He picked it up and smirked. He had it and with that, he can go on and retrieved the rest. "Grim Claw, let us return to our fortress! We still have more of the pieces to find!"

* * *

**World of Sangokuden**

The battle was over at Shoku. However, another problem has risen. After destroying the invading monsters, Armored War God Gaim suddenly disappeared. Everyone panicked after seeing it.

"Hawawa! This is terrible! Nagata-sama is gone!" Komei panicked. It was like the tournament all over again. Who knew when he would return or if he would return at all.

"Do not panic," Ryofu consoled the younger girl. "He will come back."

"Ren's right! Nagata-niichan would never abandon us!" agreed Chouhi.

Just after saying it, a bright light blinded them. The light faded away soon after. They opened their eyes and to their shock, Gaim had reappeared in front of them.

"Nagata-sama!" shouted Kanu who hugged her leader followed by Ryofu.

Gaim looked around and saw he was back in Shoku. He closed his Lockseeds and allowed his armor to vanish.

"What happened?" Nagata asked, both to himself and the others.

"You disappeared for a moment there, Nagata-sama," Kanu told him.

"I did?"

"Yeah, you just vanished," confirmed Bacho. "What happened?"

Nagata was about to reply but he stopped for some reason. "Hey, do you girls hear that?"

They stayed quiet for a while. Bacho responded, "Yeah, I hear it. What is that?"

"Where's that coming from?" Nagata concentrated further and he soon realized that the sound he was hearing was coming from the sky.

"Heads uuuuuuuup!" Nagata looked up at the sky. Up at the sky, a young girl was falling and she was crashing towards...HIM! "AAAHHH!"

**BLAM!**

"Nagata-sama!" Kanu rushed towards her love. Nagata laid on the ground, still delirious after being hit by the falling girl. The girl who had a red hood was trying to rub her head while still sitting on top of the Armored War God.

"Ouch..." whimpered the girl. Then she saw someone pointing a spear at her neck. "What...?"

"Step away from Nagata-sama," threatened Kanu.

"Who?" said Ruby Rose.

"The one you're sitting on," Chou'un explained.

Ruby looked down and finally saw the boy she was sitting on. She jumped back in fright and said, "I'm so sorry!"

"You got 10 seconds to explain." Kanu was not having it until Nagata began regaining consciousness.

"Ugh-"

"Nagata-sama!" Kanu tended to the young man. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just had a girl fall on me," Nagata said.

"Compared to falling for you?" Iori joked.

"I'm so sorry!" Ruby apologized to the young man. "I didn't mean to!"

As he rubbed his head, Nagata looked at the girl that fell on him. After taking a small glance, his eyes went wide and he started staring silently at her.

"What is it?" Ruby asked. Nagata continued to stare at Ruby. All of a sudden, he leaned towards her. His face was getting nearer to Ruby much to her fluster. "Can you please...stop staring at me?"

Then, Nagata raised his hands and touched Ruby's cheeks. "Okay, this is getting awkward. I don't like awkward."

The others stared at this in confusion but there was a reason why Nagata was acting like this. He had brief memories to his past. He remembered his adopted mother, Yang, showed him pictures of her days as a teenager with her sister. This girl resembled her. Finally, in front of Nagata was someone he wanted to meet again.

After a long silence, Nagata finally spoke, "...Mom?"

Everyone gasped and Ruby's face was blank for a while before popping up in total shock. "Excuse me!?"

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bio:**

**Mato Tokugawa (AU counterpart of Mato Kuroi from **_**Black Rock Shooter**_**):** Mato Tokugawa is Iori Tokugawa and Ichiro Tokugawa's grandmother. When she was young, she was a girl filled with life and energy but it soon ended by the time when she reached 20, her parents put her through an arranged marriage with a man who was head of the Tokugawa Company at the time. After Mato gave birth to Iori and Ichiro's father, her husband trained their child to run the company in the future. Mato and her son rarely interacted and after her husband passed away and her son took over, they lost contact. A sad life it was for her until the day when her son brought his own sons to visit their grandmother. Around the time Iori was three, Mato passed away. Iori was still young so he did not remember her well. Ichiro on the other hand knew his grandmother, Mato very well as a kind and loving woman and that spending time with her grandsons was the best thing that happened to her ever since she entered the Tokugawas.

* * *

**Lost Scrolls of the RinJyuKen (Scrolls of the Grim Claw)**

**Deer-Ken: **This is Reedolph's original style which relies on fast and sharp strikes with the limbs and antlers. However after an unknown event that transformed him and his allies into their Grimm personas, Reedolph, now go by the name Wendigo possessed the same but enhanced abilities along with new techniques.

**Digestion Assimilation (****Shōka Dōka)****:** His technique is to absorb the knowledge and abilities from the prey he devours. Important to note is that this was not part of the skills of the original Deer-Ken.

**Piranha-Ken: **Ranha's style which utilizes fast moves to overwhelm the enemy, much like a school of piranha when they discover prey.

**Tail Transformation (****Tēru Henkan)****: **Ranha can change her legs into a tail which enable her to 'swim' through the air at high speed. She can also use the tail as a weapon to smash her enemies. She is very agile and prefers this form as she hates walking.

**Koala-Ken: **The style utilizes brute force and while the practitioners are quite bulky, they are also surprisingly fast. The user's raw strength and speed allows this style to be very devastating.

**Koala Claw Attack (****Koara no Tsume Kōgeki)****: **A claw strike attack with devastating results.

**Aardvark-Ken: **Varkaad's style which is based on the aardvark and relies on long-ranged tactics.

**Tongue Slap (****Shita Surappu)****: **As suggested by the name, the user performs an attack by utilizing their tongue as a whip.

**Ant Attack (Ari no ****Kōgeki****): **The user generates a swarm of ants with their Rinki to attack the enemy.


	9. Guests Part 1

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 5: Guests Part 1**

War still raged on at Shoku and getting more intense as time passed by. Hence, all the villagers were being hastily evacuated.

"Everyone! Please remain calm and follow us!" Ryuubi shouted while trying to maintain her composure amidst this chaos. The pink-haired girl along with several others were given orders by Kanu to look after the villagers and monitor the evacuation while she, the generals and the rest of their forces head to confront the invaders.

Ryuubi couldn't believe this has happened. Today was supposed to be a time of celebration.

Then, one of the soldiers approached Ryuubi. Ryuubi responded to him, "Has everyone been evacuated?"

The guard replied, "No, we discovered a few villagers trapped under their houses. We need help to get them out."

Hearing this, Ryuubi turned to Gien. "Enya, you and I will help the soldiers in rescuing those trapped. Tanpopo, can you make sure you lead everyone to safety?"

"No problem," Batai saluted.

* * *

Following the soldier, Ryuubi and Gien arrived to where the villagers were trapped. Indeed, the two could see the houses had crumbled down to the ground. Panic sounds were heard underneath the houses proving that there were people trapped and the soldiers were trying their hardest to lift the heavy roofs and debris.

Without a moment of hesitation, the two females entered the scene and aid their fellows. When Gien came, everything went well in an instant. Her strength lifted the debris allowing soldiers to pull the citizens out of their destroyed homes.

Ryuubi tended to them and ensuring that they were okay. So far, everything was fine. Now all they needed to do was to escort these people away from the battle.

But just as they were about to, Ryuubi noticed something not far from where she was standing. Behind a gap between the houses, she noticed a dark blur passing by them.

Ryuubi blinked. She thought maybe it was just a hallucination but quickly rejected it. She was living in a world where gods and undead existed. That meant whatever she saw, it might be real.

"Enya, you take the wounded to safety," Ryuubi ordered Gien. Then she looked at the soldiers. "A few of you, follow me."

* * *

Unknown to the majority of the Shoku forces who defended their home, something had went passed their defenses and going deeper into the kingdom.

The figure resembled a humanoid salamander. His black body was thin and blood red tribal markings were present all over. Covering the monster's face was a skeletal mask and the most unusual about him was that his hair was on fire.

Everything went as planned. With the creatures called the Grimm confronting the army of Shoku and their Armored War Gods, this allowed the one who controlled the beasts the opportunity to enter the kingdom and complete his real objective. However, he must do it quick as the Grimm were being cut down in large numbers.

Finally, he arrived. In front of him was Shoku's large storage house.

This kaijin or Salamander smashed the doors of the storage house opened and entered. Inside the house, large shelves were lined. Many contained pottery, jewelry and more. The monster growled as he searched around.

"Where is it?" the figure hissed. He knocked a few of the stored goods out of the shelves in frustration. After exiting out of the first row, he head to the second row. There, he saw the second row of shelves had books much to his satisfaction. He also noticed there are large stack of books on the floor, yet to be placed on shelves.

He clawed his way through the stacked books. After finding nothing, he head to the shelves. After a short browsing, he stopped as he noticed one book in particular. It was thick and had attractive features on the cover. It was worth noting from the Salamander that he sensed magic within it.

"Finally, there you are." The Salamander Kaijin went to grab it but just as he was near contact, electricity burst out of the book, shocking him in the process.

**BZZZTTT!**

"Gah!" Salamander stepped back. He looked at his hand which was smoking. Then, he looked at the book with contempt. "You think that'll stop me."

The Salamander raged with his hair flaring up. Flames appeared on his hands next and the Salamander attempted to grab the book once more. The book once again sent out the electricity to defend itself.

It was an intense battle but the book's power began to crumble under the Salamander's. The Salamander intensified the flames on his hands and with one more push, the electricity dispersed.

The Salamander chuckled as he sensed the magic of the book was weakened. With that, he took the book from the shelf. He opened it and turned the pages until he came across one that piqued his interest.

Then, the kaijin sensed something. He leapt back avoiding a sword strike from a soldier of Shoku. More soldiers came to their comrade's aid.

"Halt!" Hearing a shout, Salamander turned his head a little and saw a few more soldiers behind him, wielding swords and spears. He wasn't threatened at all and snorted.

The soldiers advanced slowly to the monster but the monster had a trick up his sleeve. As they converged on him, he took something out of the book before turning the book hot red. Without looking back, he tossed the book to the soldiers from behind and then, the book exploded causing a huge cloud of smoke and blasting the soldiers away.

The soldiers were blinded by the smoke. The Salamander went for the attack. He kicked one soldier in the gut before grabbing another soldier and snapped his neck.

Two soldiers jumped in but were hit by the Salamander's fireball. Unknown to all, small sparks resulted from the fireball landed on the other shelves where it began to grow in strength.

One more soldier attempted to cut down the kaijin but the Salamander flipped him to the ground. Before the Salamander could kill him, his claws were blocked by a sword.

The Salamander jumped back and looked at his next opponent. It was Ryuubi.

Ryuubi analyzed the kaijin. While its color matched the creatures that attacked Shoku, there was no denying who he really was. "You're from the RinJyuKen Akugata."

"The RinJyuKen? Hah!" the Salamander scoffed. "Don't affiliate me with that pitiful group and their scumbag leader. I follow a stronger pack."

Ryuubi gripped her sword tightly. "In the name of Gaim-sama, I demand that you stop what you're doing."

Ryuubi may not have had years of training like many of her comrades, but she had been undergoing training from Nagata, the best swordsman of Shoku. It was time for her to put her skills to the test.

"Putting your life on the line to protect your property in the name of your lord. How disgustingly noble," the Salamander sneered.

Ryuubi went into a stance. Determination and resolve was reflected in her gaze. She then dashed forward and slashed at the Salamander. Much to his surprise, the blade glowed and he was slashed across the chest.

Normal weapons normally had no effect on a Rinrinshi. It would take considerable force to inflict any damage on their bodies. However, the weapon Ryuubi wield was no ordinary blade. It was known as the Dragon Claw Saber, a legendary weapon that was a reward from Heaven for her sacrifice of her family heirloom. He hissed out and in retaliation slashed at her with his claws. Ryuubi gasped and swiftly parried with her sword. Sparks erupted on contact as both combatants recoiled.

Ryuubi was in awe at her skill but she had no time to praise herself. She needed to handle this creature somehow. So far, her sword was capable of wounding it. Perhaps she would be able to defeat it.

The Salamander's sneer turned into a grin. "Surprising. One of you is actually able to harm me. I can see why you're such a legend someday. Though, are you ready to sacrifice the lives of your men for the sake of victory?"

Ryuubi turned her head and noticed a few of her soldiers were alive but they were injured. Seconds later, she noticed the air was getting thick. She looked around and saw the room was on fire.

Ryuubi had two choices: Continue to fight but sacrificed herself and her men or aid her men and fight another day.

Soldiers would leave one of their own if it meant to fulfill the mission but Ryuubi wasn't one of them. With that, Ryuubi lowered her sword and ran to aid the soldiers.

The Salamander RinJyuKen grinned at this before flaming debris crashed to the floor seconds later.

It was difficult but Ryuubi and her men managed to get out. The girl looked at her soldiers. She initially had nine accompanying her but only three were now left. A tragedy it was but at least these men were alive, thanks to Ryuubi.

"**KAAWWW!"**

Ryuubi heard a terrifying shriek. She looked up and saw a giant black and white bird. The flying beast descended down. Ryuubi thought it was about to attack them but she was wrong.

The creature flew past them. Ryuubi turned around and gasped. The roof of the storage room was smashed apart and coming out of the hole was the Salamander Rinrinshi who jumped and latched onto the giant bird's leg.

The bird continued to fly further away from Shoku. Once the land was no longer seen, the Salamander Rinrinshi looked at the prize he held. His mission was complete.

* * *

Moments ago after an intense battle, Armored War God Gaim had suddenly disappeared. Everyone witnessed in shock and panic frantically, believing a mysterious force had just taken their leader away like what happened at the Imperial Tournament.

Fortunately, it was just a short while as their god returned to them, relieving them. But then came another surprise, appearing after their leader was a mysterious young girl and when Nagata saw her, he said one word that shook Kanu and the rest up.

"Mom?"

"EEEEHHHH!"

Everyone screamed in shock.

Kanu couldn't believe it. This young girl who wore a red cloak, came out of nowhere and fell on top on her beloved Nagata-sama was his mother.

She recalled him speaking to her about his mother. How she had died when he was young, leaving him to be raised by his aunt and uncle. Could this be some kind of miracle? If so, how come his mother appeared so young?

As for Ruby, she had the same reaction as them. When she heard the young man said 'mom', her face showed bewilderment. "Excuse me!"

"Hawawawa!" Komei panicked. Her mind began to unravel after hearing such a shocking revelation. "That's Gaim-sama's mother?!"

"Gaim-sama's mother…" Ren whispered in astonishment. Even she was taken aback at what she had heard. "...but so small."

"Nagata-niichan, is it really true?" asked Chouhi, who was surprisingly excited about what she heard. "Is that your mother?"

Then, Nagata's senses finally returned. He looked at everyone's expressions as a result of what he said. They were really confused right now. He scratched his head nervously while he spoke, "No. At least I think she isn't."

"Choose your words, man! Look at what you did to that poor girl." Iori pointed Nagata towards Ruby.

"This can't be. This can't be," Ruby stuttered non-stop. She was walking back and forth, trying to make sense of the situation. "This can't be. This can't be."

Honestly, she was supposed to go find Blake with her friends, only to come across the White Fang. Then, it got freakier as monsters in weird outfits showed up and started attacking everyone. Then, a guy in armor came and saved them before she ended up falling here just like during initiation. The only downside was that she couldn't see any of her friends and this guy had just called her 'mom'.

Then, Ruby stopped, telling herself, "I know. I must be dreaming or something. Yeah that's it, dreaming. All I need to do is pinch myself and I'll be back with Yang and the gang."

Ruby pinched herself, giving a cute 'ow' in the process. However, she opened her eyes and saw she was still where she was. "Okay, it's not a dream. Maybe it's…a prank!"

"A what?" said Bacho.

"Yeah, a prank and all of you are a part of it," Ruby pointed in accusation. "I bet Yang hired all of you. She did the same thing on my birthday once."

Ruby shouted around, "Okay Yang, you got me. That was a really good one. Come on out and show your cheeky smile."

As Ruby ran around trying to find her sister and shouting her name, everyone watched and sweatdropped at the same time.

"So, is anyone going to stop this?" Bacho asked the others.

"I'll do it," Nagata spoke. It was he, after all who started all this. Nagata slowly approached the girl. "Uhh...Mom...I mean Miss."

Ruby leapt away while raising her arms to defend herself. "Back off guy, who's actually an actor who I accidentally crashed on top with my rear, who has girls with pointy spears and then stare at me, touch my face and call me 'mom'. I am not a mommy. I have yet to have the urge to see a guy in that way and have yet gone on a date."

Ruby said all of that in less than ten seconds and somehow Nagata managed to understand all of it.

"Just slow down, calm down, and take deep breaths," Nagata instructed. Ruby was about to resume defending herself from the young man until the two teens' eyes met. At that moment, things were calming down.

Ruby's heart was beating slowly and she lowered her arms. What she was doing now was just staring at the boy. One moment Ruby was about to fight but when she and the boy were close, she was now feeling relaxed. Ruby couldn't explain it but there was something about the boy that she could trust. So, she closed her eyes and took deep breaths.

"Are you calm now?" Nagata inquired Ruby.

"Yeah, I am," Ruby answered. Nagata smiled. Meditation and breathing exercises were part of his basic training.

"So, you believe your sister hired us as actors to mess with you?" Nagata summarized.

"Well, of course. She likes to prank me all the time," Ruby answered.

"What was the last thing you remember before you crashed on top of me?" Nagata questioned.

Ruby's mind began to clear. She recalled, "Well, I remembered trying to save my friend from those pale-faced men dressed like martial artists."

"Okay," said Nagata.

Ruby resumed, "It didn't work out too well. Luckily the armored guy showed up and he was kicking serious butt on those robed people."

"And what happens after that?"

"Next thing that happened was a flash of light and I was here." Ruby finally remembered everything. That actually happened. Ruby stared at Nagata. "So, you're not an actor Yang hired to mess with me, right?"

"The only acting I've ever done was during my middle school play," Nagata told her. He recalled that day fondly. They did 'Journey to the West' and he played the Monkey King Son Goku. "Also I only met you just now."

"Just now?" said Ruby.

"Remember, you were fighting those pale-faced men dressed like martial artists." Nagata pointed something below him.

Ruby stared at Nagata and then at the belt he wore. It was the same belt as that armored warrior she had seen. Ruby connected the dots and made the connection.

"It was _you_," Ruby realized. "You're the guy in the orange armor."

Nagata nodded and introduced himself, "That's right and it's nice to meet you."

Nagata offered his hand and Ruby sheepishly shook on it. "Same as well."

"Is something wrong?"

"Wrong? No," Ruby said. "There is no wrong. It's the opposite exactly. It's stupendous, it's fantastic, it's mind blowing. Past few days were not so great because my friends were butting heads and one of them left after we found out she was Faunus. We went to search for her and try to get her back and eventually we did. I was happy but then not only did I find my friend, I also met you, the armored rider from my dreams which I had for a few weeks just for your information. I shouted and jumping high and Penny did the same to support me. Then, Yang came crashing…"

"Does anybody understand what she is saying?" Iori pleaded. He couldn't keep up. It was like watching television in fast forward.

"She reminds me a lot of Ryuubi," Chou'un quipped at Nagata. "When she learned that you're her favorite god, she went crazy and starts fawning over you."

Ruby halted and questioned Nagata, "God? Wait, you?"

"That's right." Bacho patted Nagata on the shoulder. "You're looking at our great leader, Armored War God Gaim-sama."

"You're a god!?" yelled Ruby. While Ruby knew she would encounter bizarre creatures such as the Grimm but a god was not something she expected to see. Her mind has just been blown.

"It's a title the people came up with. They see the armor, they hear about the Messenger of Heaven, and they made up the title. We all carry that title now," Nagata explained.

Ruby was taken aback. "We? You mean there's more of you?"

Nagata nodded. "Yeah, I'm the god known for the sword, there's one god with the hammer, another god with giant fists, and there's a god known for his big spear."

Iori coughed, "_Innuendo_."

Nagata threw a glare at his friend and added, "He's the one with the big guns."

"_Double innuendo_," Iori coughed again.

"Okay, I kinda getting the idea," Ruby understood. A bit at least as she got lost a bit at the middle. Then Ruby noticed something. She looked around at her surroundings and after that, she asked, "Where in part of Remnant am I?"

"What's Remnant?" Bacho asked.

Ruby was taken aback a second time. "Remnant, you know. The world that looked like a smear from a napkin, filled with obviously dark and sinister looking giant monsters and brave and dashing Huntsmen and Huntresses coming in to stop them."

Ruby looked to the group in bewilderment. "The world we're standing right now."

"Well, we call this world Earth and specifically you're in Ancient China," Nagata answered.

"You can't actually call it 'ancient', since it's the present time for us," Iori corrected.

"China?" Ruby placed her finger on her chin. "Is that part of a kingdom?"

"Well, it's not a kingdom. It used to be an empire but since the last dynasty fell to pieces it's now broken into separate kingdoms," Iori explained.

"That can't be." Ruby looked surprised. "The only safe human settlements are the four kingdoms: Vale, Vacuo, Atlas and Mistral."

"I hate to correct you but we have a lot more places than four kingdoms. Hundreds, thousands, even millions." Iori's words shocked Ruby. So far, she's been given more questions than answers. The people she met, one of them being a god, do not call the world Remnant but instead called it Earth. Apart from that, there are more kingdoms or settlements and based on their faces, they have never heard of the Grimm or Huntsmen. All of this just made her feel more of a stranger than before.

As for Nagata, he was trying to figure out what was happening. Ruby believed that she was still in a world called Remnant. According to the girl, Remnant had monsters roaming about along with these Huntsmen and Huntresses and that there are only four settlements where humans lived. What Ruby had said contradicted with what he knows. Nagata correctly guessed the reason for humans living in only four kingdoms was due to these monsters Ruby mentioned but even with the monsters he knew of, humanity was still carrying on fine. It's as if Earth and Remnant were two separate beings with two different histories.

Then, it hit him. Separate and different. Remembering the first few days when he arrived here, Nagata once theorized that the Ancient China he was in was an alternate version of the one he knew. It didn't receive a lot of thought though until it became relevant again back at the museum. He was in another world and what was stopping him from thinking that there were more like here. Thinking about it, Nagata found the answer.

Nagata spoke back to Ruby, "Miss-"

Ruby replied, "Ruby. Ruby Rose."

"Ruby?" Nagata paused and blinked for a bit before shaking it off to continue. "I think the reason why we don't know about Remnant and you don't know about Earth is that maybe…" Nagata paused a bit, "they're two different places."

"What are you saying?" Ruby questioned.

Nagata replied, "They're parallel worlds and you are in our world."

Ruby was silent. The words sank into her like a boulder into the ocean. "A parallel world. You mean like from those sci-fi comics about a world similar but different from ours?"

"I believe so."

"You're joking, right? Right?" Ruby looked at Nagata's eyes. They showed no hesitation and no movement. He wasn't lying at all to her.

"How can I get back? My family and friends. They must be worried," Ruby gasped. "My team! They're still back at Remnant probably fighting those...whatever they are."

"Ruby, please calm down." Nagata calmed Ruby down. "I don't know what's going on but I think it's best right now that you should come with us. You're not in your world anymore and I think we need to talk."

As everyone tried to contemplate on the situation, meanwhile from the hills at a forest not far from Shoku was the presence of an individual whose armor having the design of a small dark red fruit. He had witnessed the attack on Shoku by the monsters of black and white. This was something that was needed to be reported to his compatriots.

* * *

Back at Shoku, the mood was not a good one. The attack by the dark beasts affected the kingdom. It wasn't the loss of homes or personal belongings that affected the people. It was the loss of one of their own. Many civilians and soldiers were killed during that battle and all of them had families. Nagata made sure to deliver the news to the families personally. They were grateful for his kind words and sympathy. He knew the pain of loss as well but they would move on, hopefully.

Then, Nagata move on to Ryuubi. He heard about what happened from Gien. Ryuubi witnessed the presence of a Rinrinshi within Shoku while everyone was battling the monsters.

A horde of monsters and a Rinrinshi, both present during the attack. This was no coincidence. No doubt they were working together. That would be dealt with later as he has more concerns on comforting Ryuubi. When Ryuubi spotted the Rinrinshi, she led a group of soldiers to find it. She succeeded. However, the Rinrinshi escaped but not before killing six of the soldiers she had with her.

Nagata arrived at the area where the wounded were taken. He finally saw Ryuubi who was watching the treatment on her three soldiers, who were severely injured by the Rinrinshi. Nagata walked up to her and asked, "How are they?"

"The doctors said they'll make a full recovery," said Ryuubi who remained staring at the wounded soldiers.

"That's good to hear."

"Not all of them made it, though. I wish I hadn't spotted that Rinrinshi," Ryuubi wept. "If I hadn't, maybe they would still be alive."

"Touka, you did what you thought was right," Nagata assured her.

"I lost many of my soldiers," Ryuubi admitted sadly.

"True but what you did after saved the rest." Then all of a sudden, Nagata hugged Ryuubi. Ryuubi was blushing red. She was never this close to her favorite Armored War God. "Touka, I swear to you that I'll find who's responsible for this and bring them to justice."

The men who served him were his responsibility. As they died in the line of duty, their deaths were not in vain. Nonetheless, their deaths needed to be avenged.

"You're so strong, Nagata-sama," Ryuubi smiled and hugged her idol.

"Only because I have a reason to be strong. People look to us for support. If we lose hope then they lose hope. That is why when we get knocked down, we pick ourselves up and keep going. True strength is about never quitting."

After saying those words, Nagata saw his ally wiping the tears off her face. She nodded to him as a sign saying that she was alright now. After that, Nagata showed his hand and Ryuubi took it.

* * *

At the main household, Ruby was sitting on a chair alone in Nagata's office. Her mind was pondering on what she had learned. She was no longer in Remnant but in a world similar to it. A parallel world. She never thought they existed but she was now in one. Looking at the terrain, they were way different from the pictures of books she read regarding her world. She really hoped that there was a way to get back to Remnant.

Then, Ruby heard the door opening and entering the room was Kanu who held a tray with a cup of tea.

"Alright, here you go," Kanu said.

"Thank you." Ruby took the tea of the tray. She instantly drank a bit, only to wince with her tongue out.

"I should have warned you that the tea was still hot."

"It's okay, fault on my part." Ruby tried to speak but her tongue was a little redder than usual.

Soon, the other generals of Shoku came in and to keep Ruby company. Ruby looked at them all. While many of them were older than her, there were a few who were within her age or younger than her. That fact she gathered eased her. At least there was one thing that was similar to her world.

"How are you feeling?" asked Kochu.

"Pretty good I guess. A little spooked but still good," Ruby half smiled. "I mean it's not every day that you find yourself wind up in an alternate universe."

"Nagata-sama had the same thought when he first arrived here," Kanu chuckled.

Ruby felt more at ease. The people here were kind. Then, Ruby noticed one of them were near her. She was one of the younger ones with blonde hair and brown beret.

"If it's not much to ask but what is that?" Komei questioned Ruby.

Ruby looked at where Komei was staring. The silver eyed girl grabbed it and presented it to them. "Oh, that's my weapon."

The generals were perplexed that the rectangular object was a weapon. Seeing their looks, Ruby showed it to them. The gears turned and the object converted itself into its scythe form, shocking its audience.

"It transformed!" Bacho yelled.

"Ladies, meet Crescent Rose," Ruby smugly proclaimed.

"SSSUGGEEEII!" Chouhi, Batai and Komei shouted with much enthusiasm. Their eyes were sparkling like stars.

"Amazing, to think there was such a weapon that can hide itself in plain sight." Kanu was very impressed. The weapon was on a different class compared to the Armored War Gods' arsenal.

"It's very common on my world," Ruby explained.

"Really?" Batai was surprised to hear that.

"I want one!" Chouhi wanted to have a weapon similar to Ruby's.

Next thing that happened was Riri who went up to the student of Beacon. "Onee-chan, can I touch your cape?"

"Sure." Ruby knew the correct word was cloak but since Riri was very young, she let it slide.

Riri touched the red clothing and was amazed on how soft it was. She held part of it and rubbed it in her face. Riri happily said, "Feels like I'm in my bed."

Kochu giggled seeing her daughter this way before picking her up.

"Nagata-sama really gave us a fright. When he said 'mom', my mouth went this big," Bacho commented.

"Fortunately, that misunderstanding was cleared up," Komei said.

Ruby heard and was blushing. That part really frightened her. She was also embarrassed because of her little outburst in response to it.

The next thing that happened was the door opening again.

"We're back," a voice attracted everyone and entering the office was Nagata and Ryuubi.

"Are you okay, Touka-oneechan?" Chouhi asked as she walked towards her sworn sister.

Ryuubi smiled and patted Chouhi's head. "Yes, I'm fine. It was thanks to Nagata-sama that I'm better."

After that, Kanu and Chouhi comforted their sworn sister. Ruby looked at them before looking at Nagata.

"Did you guys get into a fight?" Ruby asked. Ruby noticed the wreckage when she was escorted.

"Yeah, a costly one at that. A lot of good men were killed during the attack," Nagata sighed.

Ruby saw the sadness within his eyes and she responded, "I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

Bacho sighed. "Man, can't believe those RinJyuKen bastards attacked us on such a good day."

"Well they are evil bastards," Chou'un pointed out. "They'll take any chance to spread fear and suffering."

"Evil doesn't take a holiday," quoted Iori. Everyone nodded in agreement to that.

Kochu asked, "Was there any reason for this attack?"

Chou'un spoke, "Isn't it obvious? They were merely doing this to lower our morale. We had our guard down and they struck without warning."

"I don't think so," Nagata said. "I talked to Touka. She said the Rinrinshi that was there was in some sort of mission."

Ryuubi nodded. "It's true. While everyone was battling, the Rinrinshi was entering the storage house."

"Wait, didn't we have all the books we recovered from Rakuyo kept in there?" said Iori.

"Correct," Nagata replied. "And looks like they found what they wanted. The first thing we have to do is find out what they were searching for and once we find out what that is-"

"WE SMASH THEIR BUTTS!" Chouhi shouted, eager to deliver payback on those walking dead.

"But we need to know where they found those wolf-creatures. They weren't Inves, I'm sure of it," said Iori.

Ruby's eyes widened when she heard Iori mentioned 'wolf-creatures'. "Did you say 'wolf-creatures'?"

Iori answered Ruby, "Yes, we were attacked by a pack of them."

"What did they look like?"

"They walked on all fours but were built like humans. They were covered in black fur and had bone white masks on their faces," Iori described.

Having heard the information, Ruby spoke, "Those sound like Beowolves."

In an instant, everyone turned to Ruby with surprised looks. Chou'un inquired, "How do you know them?"

Ruby replied, "Because Beowolves come from Remnant. They are a species of Grimm."

"And you're sure?" Nagata wanted to confirm.

"Positive," Ruby confirmed.

Learning this fact, everyone looked at each other, either worried or confused.

"Okay let's recap what we know," Nagata summarized, "First, we were attacked by these wolf monsters and thanks to Ruby, we now know they are called Beowolves and they came from her world. Then somehow I ended up in Ruby's world and encountered the RinJyuKen there."

"Two parallel worlds have intersected with one another," Iori grimaced. "Sounds like a plot from Kamen Rider Decade."

"Decade?" Gien questioned.

"The Armored War God of Infinite Worlds," Nagata explained. "He had the power to travel to parallel and alternate worlds."

Bacho raised her hand. "Sorry to interrupt but I don't really understand what you two are talking about. Parallel worlds? Alternate worlds? What do they mean?"

"Right." Iori realized that none of them were proficient in these kinds of things. Thus, they need to be explained.

Iori drew a circle on a sheet of paper. "Alright, so this is our world. Now, imagine if there is another world similar yet different from ours here." He drew another circle. "And not just another world but a whole bunch of worlds." He drew several more circles.

"You're talking about the Multiverse," Nagata concluded.

"Yes, exactly," Iori nodded. "For example, let's say Chouhi was choosing between fried chicken and noodles. Well presumably in one world, she chose fried chicken but there is a chance that she chose the noodles and with that, an alternate world is created."

"Um…what?" Nobody understood him until Komei joined the conversation.

"I think I understand," said Komei. "An alternate world is the result of decisions that we chose or chose not. It's like a river. The river that goes straight represents our world but there are smaller streams that branched out of the main one. Those are the alternate worlds."

"Correct, that's the meaning of parallel worlds," Iori continued. "Now here's the problem we're facing. All these worlds exist at the same time but in different dimensions. These dimensions are separate yet inhabit the same space. Only a barrier sets them apart. However, right now, it seems a barrier that keeps two dimensions separate now has a hole, most likely thanks to the RinJyuKen Akugata. Because of that, anything from either world can slip in."

Komei resumed, "You're saying that it's like a sheet of paper has gotten holes and things are slipping in back and forth."

"Yeah, kinda. Except the barrier between worlds is made of much sturdier stuff," Iori answered.

"So, there are a lot of these alternate worlds?" Komei asked.

"According to Multiverse Theory, there are infinite Earths," Nagata answered.

"There may be one world where Emperor Han didn't die or a world where we chose a different side compared to ours," Iori answered. "In at least one, you're all men."

"MEN!?"

"Yeah. The male Kanu has a long beard instead of long hair," Iori stated.

Kanu dreaded the thought.

"So, how am I supposed to get home now?" Ruby inquired.

"We know someone who might be able to help," Nagata told her.

"You do?" Ruby's hopes were high after hearing this.

"Unfortunately, we don't know how to get into contact with him. He just shows up when something important happens." He was referring to Chosen. He was helpful, but extremely creepy and meeting him always got awkward. Oddly enough, Marcus wasn't weirded out by him. "In the meantime, maybe you should stay in Shoku."

"Okay," Ruby nodded.

It was starting to get dark. With all the excitement that had occurred in the day, barely anyone noticed when the sun set. Also, when Ruby had come to this world, it was nighttime in Remnant so the red-hooded girl let out a yawn. How long had she been up? She really couldn't tell.

"Are you tired?" Nagata asked.

"Yeah," Ruby answered. "It was night when my friends and I were fighting those creepy RinJyuKen guys." Remembering her friends, she added worriedly, "I sure hope they're alright."

"If they are as strong as you've described them, then they shouldn't have any problem," Nagata reassured her.

"We'll have a room prepared for you," Komei informed Ruby.

"Actually, that won't be necessary, Shuri," Nagata stated.

Komei tilted her head. "What do you mean, Nagata-sama?"

* * *

**Later…**

Usually, Kanu and Nagata would have slept in his room and have a joyous experience but tonight was a…special case. Their new guest would have a room arranged for her but Nagata declined it. Instead, the Blue King proposed an alternative.

"Ummm…is this really okay?" Ruby nervously said.

Tonight, their new guest, Ruby Rose would bunk with Kanu and Nagata. When he first said this plan, everyone was completely caught by surprise. Ryuubi and Kanu shrieked at a high pitch as this was the first time Nagata ever decided something like this. Ryofu even had her skin paled after hearing that.

Fortunately however, Nagata continued explaining that Kanu and Ruby would be sleeping on the bed while Nagata would sleep on a mattress on the floor. Although that eased the girls a bit but still the idea was not pleasing.

"It's okay," said Nagata who interestingly has his mattress near the side where Ruby was sleeping.

Ruby continued, "You know, I can just go to another room and sleep there. I don't really mind."

Nagata cheerfully calmed the girl. "It's fine Ruby. It's fine. Think of it as a sleepover."

"This is actually my first time staying in a room with a boy," Ruby muttered to herself. Although she did sleep at the Beacon ballroom where boys and girls mingled but this room was more compact compared to the ballroom.

Nagata turned his head and silently whispered, "But for me, it's like being with you again."

Ruby blinked and stared at Nagata. "Wait, what?"

By the time Ruby poked her head out, Nagata was already asleep. Too late to ask, Ruby decided to comply with Nagata.

At the other side of the bed, Kanu watched Ruby going to sleep. Unlike Ruby, Kanu knew what was going on and sadly, she knew what was going on. Her eyes were saddened and she had no smile as she muttered, "Nagata-sama."

After that, she slept and hoped that tomorrow would improve things.

* * *

**World of Remnant**

The land beyond the walls of the four kingdoms was still the same as ever. The peace, quiet and the huge presence of blood thirsty beasts. However, the mountain rubble did had a slight change which was the huge hole that was somewhere in the middle.

The hole was dark, dirty and deep. It extended miles from the surface and out of the tunnel, there lay the fortress. Despite the damages to the structure caused by the mountain's collapse, the fortress remained standing.

At the throne room of the fortress was where the Rinrinshi of Grim Claw stayed. After acquiring the jewel, Wendigo decided it was time to withdraw. Using the knowledge he absorbed from the White Fang stationed at Mountain Glenn, the dark lord of the Grim Claw lead his remaining forces to a hideout the White Fang used to basically store their weapons and vehicles. They found a Bullhead and used it to escape the kingdom. After dumping the Bullhead and let it be shredded by the Grimm, everything was easy from there.

Ever since, Wendigo spent his time sitting on his throne and staring at the jewel he held on to his right hand. Based on what could be expressions on his face, he was displeased at it.

**BOOM!**

Ranha was passing the time trying out the weapons of this world. All of these tools were the spoils of war after the Grim Claw wiped out the White Fang who were at Glenn.

"These weapons are most fascinating." Ranha stared in awe at the guitar/shotgun weapon she held. She never thought mankind could have advanced this far and developed quite a colorful creativity as well. "Hey Alako, before I hang these beauties up as trophies, would you want some fun with them?"

"No, I'm good," said Alako who was wearing bloodied glasses. Something he picked up from a dead Huntsman.

"What are you doing?" asked Ranha who saw Alako writing on a book of sorts.

"I was doing this crossword puzzle these humans have made."

"Crossword puzzles?" Ranha scoffed. "Why are you wasting time with something so trivial?"

Alako replied, "A few of us enjoy trivial things. Gives us a hobby."

"Your hobby should be killing our enemies!"

"If you say so," Alako shrugged. "Anyway, what's a seven letter word for 'a person who is most unpleasant'?"

"Greetings my fellow killers. Your beloved Manda has returned!"

Then, a loud voice was heard. Everyone turned to the entrance and saw the Salamander Rinrinshi named Manda entering the room.

The sight of him caused Ranha to roll her eyes and turned to Alako.

"'Dirtbag'," she supplied.

"Oh, thank you Ranha." Alako proceeded to write it down.

"Manda!" Manda turned to the source of the dark voice, Wendigo.

Manda immediately went and knelt before Wendigo. "Wendigo-sama."

Wendigo spoke, "Judging by your mood, am I correct to assume that you've accomplished your mission?"

The Salamander Rinrinshi grinned. "I did my lord."

He revealed it. It looked like the handle for a sword. It was dark red in color and the pommel had a design of a majestic bird with black oval shaped eyes, a crest and a sharp beak. The handle gave the idea that the 'bird' has quite a long neck. The guard had the design of wings along with crafted feather like designs. Most intriguing about the guard was that at the middle of it there was a part missing.

Manda threw the part towards his master who grabbed it with his other hand. Wendigo was satisfied. At last, another piece was in their possession. Wendigo continued asking, "Where is Hu?"

Manda sighed. "Still observing the new generation from the world we left long ago."

Most fortunate that a way to return to their original world was possible. Wendigo and his followers remembered well. They assaulted the Capital of Rakuyo with the purpose of eliminating the Emperor and his Seal of Heaven. The battle against them was of epic proportions but sadly it was a short one when the Seal of Heaven delivered a powerful strike at them.

The battle was about to end but Wendigo would not let that. Before the blast could completely destroy them, Wendigo sent himself and his Grim Claw away from the battle and ended up in a strange new world.

That victory proved to be a hollow one however as with no means to return, they were stranded and were left to rot in this world for centuries. It seemed karma has finally caught up with them or so it thought.

Who would've thought that greedy men who discovered their fortress a year ago turned out to be their saviors? Wendigo had already made sure to repay Roman Torchwick for his 'assistance'.

Ranha entered the conversation. She asked Manda, "Where are all the beasts that were left under you and Hu's command?"

Manda answered, "I used the wolves to attack Shoku. They were annihilated which was not surprising. Our more impressive creatures however went rogue."

"So, they're loose!" Ranha shouted. "If those beasts were to ever make contact to a nearby settlement, they will attract unwanted attention."

Manda angrily retorted, "We already had it when that piece set foot on a kingdom ruled by an Armored War God and let me remind you that controlling these Grimm is not an easy task. Eventually, few of them would have break away from us."

Ranha scoffed while Manda looked around. He then asked, "Where's Varkaad?"

"Dead," Alako said while his eyes glued onto the crossword book.

Manda was surprised and then lowered his head as if mourning. "Such a shame."

Seconds later, he laughed. "Not. Good riddance of that wimp. I can't believe good magic was wasted on him."

Ranha turned her head away and whispered to herself, "He's not the only one good magic was wasted on."

"I heard that, Ranha," Manda scowled. "How did Varkaad died anyway? Let me guess, it was one of the inhabitants?"

Alako answered his comrade, "The one from the kingdom you just attacked, the Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword."

Manda stepped back. "What? How is that possible?"

"Apparently, he had help," Wendigo replied to his subordinate. After saying that, he looked at the jewel. He growled and tightened his grasp on it.

"Then, we have to attack now," Manda suggested.

"And what? Get ourselves destroyed," Ranha countered. "Can't you think of anything other than charging blind into a battlefield?"

"At least I'm thinking of something you sea whore!" Manda mocked.

Ranha retaliated, "Amphibious asswipe."

Manda's hair flared up. "That's it. You're dead."

Ranha pointed her sword at her comrade. "Bring it."

"ENOUGH!" Wendigo's shout echoed throughout the room causing everyone frozen in silence. "You should channel that anger against our enemies. Not at yourselves!"

"This hag suggests we should stand around and do nothing," Manda accused. "If I'm correct, that Armored War God may have contacted the rest of his brothers. We need to strike first. We still have our Rinrinshi puppets to support us."

Ranha snarled, "And the Armored War Gods have an army that outnumbered us 10 to 1 along with weapons that would wipe us out."

"I'm sorry, am I detecting fear from you two?" Wendigo mockingly asked, silencing the two Rinrinshi.

"Remember how this group was formed? Our world was a primitive one. The people there were simple but when they cannot fully comprehend something that was of the unknown, they either worshiped it like a god or destroy it like it was a demon. You know what that means. They were paranoid and they were afraid. And that's where we came in. When we see the unknown, we do not fear it. We embraced it and mold it to our use." The sinister kaijin lord chuckled. "That was our clear goal and thanks to it, we survived long even after being betrayed by Dai Shi."

Wendigo growled mad when he remembered _that _person. "The nerve of him. So in short, you two should not be afraid. The Armored War Gods are powerful but the problem is how long they will last which in due time we'll find out. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Wendigo-sama," Ranha and Manda bowed before Wendigo.

"Fortunately for the both of you, I already formulated a plan which starts right now." Wendigo got up and barked his orders, "You two will return to our world and assist Hu. Alako, you're with me. We are going to enlist the most experienced of the beasts."

Manda replied, "But Wendigo-sama, it took us months to control a pack of young Beowolves and some of them showed slight resistance. How can you secure those?"

Wendigo turned his head and gave a nasty glare, frightening the Rinrinshi. "Why do you think I had all of you retrieving the Forge?"

Manda stepped away until Wendigo continued, "And Manda, I take it you took precautions on erasing any leads?"

Manda replied to Wendigo, "I did my lord. I took the initiative of burning the archives."

"Were they completely destroyed?"

"With how much fire was blazing, I have no doubt."

"Pray that it is true or I'll grill you." Wendigo's eyes gave a dark red glow. It was his way of expressing anger. With that, Manda gulped in fright. The worst punishment for failure was to become Wendigo's next meal and have your skills assimilated by him.

Wendigo then stared at the two items he held. His and his comrade's abilities in controlling these Grimm were most useful but there were limits. Now that he had these two artifacts, he wondered.

Wendigo placed the gem at the center of the guard. That was the guard's missing piece. In an instant they were combined, they began to flash and an aura was making presence around it.

The Wendigo looked at his prizes and was at awe. "The power, yesssss. I think I'm going to enjoy this."

* * *

**World of Sangokuden**

When morning came, Nagata rose up early. It was his turn to cook breakfast. With so many mouths to feed, he needed to get everything ready.

As a lord, he should leave menial duties such as cooking to the castle's servants. That was why they had maids to do things like cleaning. It was a large building and needed many people working around the clock to make it look presentable.

As the homebase of the Blue King, the castle needed to appear mighty and clean. It was a symbol of hope and also a symbol of how Shoku had risen up from a single village to become the kingdom it was now today.

He looked to the bed occupied by Kanu and Ruby and smiled. It reminded him of the time he once slept with his parents after a terrible nightmare.

"...Yang..." Ruby murmured.

Nagata frowned sympathetically. Like himself, Ruby was displaced and in a different world, separated from those she loved. While he and the other Armored War Gods had made peace with their decision to remain in this world, he swore he would find a way to return Ruby to hers so she could reunite with her loved ones.

* * *

A new day has arrived. Nagata prepared a smorgasbord for his friends. It was a traditional Japanese breakfast consisting of rice and miso soup. Side dishes consisted of tamagoyaki and broiled fish. A pretty modest breakfast but nobody complained as his cooking was always delicious.

Everyone's responses were electrifying with Bacho and Chouhi stuffing their faces nonstop.

Ruby looked at the food she held with her chopsticks. "Wow, this is good."

"Isn't it?" Chouhi smiled. "Nagata-niichan makes the best food."

"Nagata-sama is a very talented cook," added Kanu.

"Indeed," agreed Chou'un. "Back when we were traveling together, we needed work to cover our expenses. Fortunately, Nagata-sama's culinary expertise allowed us to afford comfortable lodgings."

"You did all the cooking, didn't you?" Ruby asked Nagata.

"No offense to the other girls, but at the time I was the only one with actual culinary skills," Nagata responded.

The girls would be waitresses in whatever restaurant or inn they ended up staying at while Nagata always ended up cooking in the back. Kanu had been reluctant as she deemed a lord like him shouldn't lower himself to doing menial tasks, but he refused to let them do all the work and pull his own weight.

It was for this reason that Kanu wanted to improve her own cooking skills. She wanted to make something delicious for her beloved lord.

"Is it okay if I order something specific?" Ruby waved her hands nervously. "If it's okay with you I mean."

"Relax, I'm cool with it," Nagata smiled before turning serious. "Alright, Kanu, Bacho, Chou'un, Iori and Kochu will survey the outside areas and ensure that none of the creatures are still here. The rest of you will stay and protect Shoku."

"Understood," everyone agreed.

"What would you be doing then?" inquired Iori.

"I've decided to give our guest, Ruby a tour around Shoku," replied Nagata.

While Ruby didn't seem to mind, the others were suspiciously looking at either her or Nagata.

* * *

Nagata and Ruby were walking down the hallway. It was at this point, Ruby observed the interior. She didn't do that much since she was more worried about a way to get back to Remnant. While the main house was not as grand like the castles in the fairy tales but it was still quite attractive.

"Where are we going?"

Nagata replied, "Ren didn't come for breakfast. So, I decided to bring it to her."

"That's very generous of you. I always thought kings had more important duties like paperwork."

Nagata grumbled, "I hate paperwork."

Nagata stopped and so did Ruby. "Ah, there we are. This is where she was since morning."

There was Ryofu, the silent yet monstrously strong beauty among Nagata's generals. She was sitting in the garden, surrounded by her pets. The dogs and cats got along with no trouble and there was even a bird perched on her shoulder.

Ruby squealed, "Puppies and kitties!"

The moment the two entered the garden, the dogs and cats ran up to them and tackled them like a great flood.

Ruby popped up of the literal pile of animals. She didn't mind it, though. She liked animals.

"Gaim-sama, here," said Ryofu as she approached the pair that her pets had 'assaulted'.

"Yeah, I'm here to give you your breakfast," said Nagata.

Ryofu blushed. "Thank you."

Ruby hugged one of the animals. "Awww, this one reminds me of Zwei."

Nagata heard Ruby said Zwei. At his original world, Nagata owned a dog named Zweiss.

"Is Zwei your dog?" Nagata asked.

Ruby replied, "Yeah, best Corgi ever!"

More puppies and kittens head towards Ruby. Even though she loved weaponry but Ruby was still young at heart and when she sees a cute little critter, her heart just melts.

Ruby was doing baby talk with the dog that was wearing a red scarf, "Tell me, what's your name little doggie?"

Ryofu took part and answered the silver eyed girl's question, "Sekito."

Ruby turned to Ryofu who said again, "Sekito."

Ruby then realized, "Oh, that's his name?"

Ryofu nodded and pick up another puppy. "This one's name Appa."

The young woman then introduced more of the animals, "Momo, Naga, Pabu, Flopsie, Bosco..."

Ryofu continued introducing her animals while Ruby was getting enthralled. Nagata couldn't help but smile.

"...Dug, Ha, Kuna, Mata and Ta."

After hearing all of their names, Ruby squealed and was jumping about. "Those are definitely cute names. You're a great name giver."

"Thank you," Ryofu bowed her head.

"Can't believe you have so many cute animals," said Ruby.

"Many of them lost their owners during war while some were merely abandoned. All of them have no homes. So, I took them all in and raise them," said Ryofu as she played patty cake with a kitten. "Gaim-sama came and gave us a home when our home burnt down."

Ruby looked to Nagata with a gaze of admiration. He opened his home to anyone in need.

Nagata chuckled. "Well, I couldn't resist leaving cute animals and cute girls with no home."

The last part caught Ryofu's attention and she blushed.

"Sometimes we hang out with the animals," Nagata added.

"Or train," said Ryofu. "But it's mostly the former."

Then in an instant, Ryofu stood beside Nagata and locked her arm with his.

Nagata scratched his head nervously. "Anyway, that's all for now. See you later, Ren. Come Ruby."

"Okay," Ruby nodded but before she did, she saw Ryofu was near her for some reason.

Ruby asked, "Uh, is there something wrong?"

Ryofu replied, "You're happy and Gaim-sama's happy."

All of a sudden, Ryofu's entire face began to glitter with her eyes sparkling like stars while giving a thumbs-up to Ruby. "Does this mean I win?"

"Uh, what?" Ruby didn't get it.

"Ruby, let's go."

The call from the Armored War God brought Ruby back. "Coming. Sorry, Ryofu."

"Call me Ren."

"Okay, Ren, I'll talk to you later." Ruby waved her hand and left.

"Bye." Ryofu waved to the smaller girl. From what she could see, it seemed the plan had worked. Probably a few more tries, Nagata will be her groom.

Ruby was about to catch up with Nagata. The Huntress wondered about Ryofu. What did the young woman meant did she win when Ruby herself and Nagata were both happy. The way Ryofu said, it made it sound like that she and Nagata had some kind of relationship. Ruby just met the guy yesterday. She was pretty sure that there was no relationship between her and Nagata. Maybe she'll talk to her again after whatever places Nagata wanted to show her.

"_Mom?"_

Ruby blinked for a bit.

'_Why did that word pop up?'_ she thought.

Ruby finally caught up to Nagata. Nagata looked at the girl's face. "Is something the matter?"

"No, it's fine," replied Ruby. "So, where to now?"

"Oh, I have a few things in mind," Nagata said.

* * *

"You cannot defeat me Armored War God! I wear the cloak of nothingness, meaning you cannot see me," said a cloaked monster who surrounded a masked warrior.

The masked warrior countered, "Foolish monster. Even with your cloak of nothingness, I, the Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword shall not be hindered."

"You hear that. Gaim-sama is not afraid. Cheer him on. Cheer for our Gaim-sama," announced by the narrator, Ryuubi.

"Yeah!"

"Boo! Ugly monster! Boo!"

"Gaim-sama! Kick the monster on the ankles!"

The children cheered as they watched their god fighting a kaijin. Well, an actor posing as their god to be exact. This was after all a play.

The children were not the only ones here as Nagata and Ruby were also present. Having exited out of the main house, Nagata lead Ruby to a theater where a play was being carried out.

"You even have your own play?"

"Well, the being of unknown origin that mysteriously crashed landed onto a strange new world is pretty popular," Nagata quipped while staring at something of a fourth wall.

Ruby gave a small laugh. She watched the play continuing.

Nagata looked down and watched the play. He saw Ryuubi was acting as the narrator. He was glad that Ryuubi was doing fine despite what happened yesterday. Amongst the crowd of children was Riri and Gien with the latter mostly watching Ryuubi rather than the play.

"What's this?" announced Ryuubi.

WHACK!

"GAH!" yelled the monster who dropped to the floor in pain after being hit in the head by the actor playing Gaim.

"He did it! Gaim-sama did it!" Ryuubi shouted.

The children all cheered.

"Thank you for coming and for showing support to Gaim-sama and speaking of Gaim-sama, here he is." Ryuubi pointed the children to Nagata.

The children ran towards him.

"Gaim-sama! Gaim-sama!"

"Come on, play with us!"

"Show us your armor!"

Nagata chuckled at their assignment as Ruby observed. As a child, and even now, she was a fan of heroes. These kids were not so different.

"Kids, I can't play right now. I'm showing our new friend around," Nagata explained, referring to Ruby. The children's eyes were on Ruby instantly.

"Hi, kids," Ruby waved awkwardly.

"That's Red-oneechan," Riri pointed out. Hearing what Riri said, the children then swarm over Ruby.

"Wah! Riri said was true. Your cloak is nice."

"Show us that big box that changes into a big sword."

"Are you an Armored War God like Gaim-sama?"

"If it's true, that makes you an Armored War Goddess."

"Uh, well..." Ruby was getting pretty popular but sadly her awkwardness around people was keeping her back.

As Nagata watched this unfold, he suddenly felt his sleeve being tugged. He saw it was a young girl who was pulling.

"Gaim-sama!" said the young girl.

Nagata replied, "Yes?"

"I miss my daddy."

Nagata showed surprise in his face before showing gloom on it. "I see."

"Mommy said that he went to Heaven. We cannot see him because we're not old enough." Then, the girl pulled out a letter. "But Gaim-sama is from Heaven. Can you give this to my daddy?"

Nagata took the letter and read the contents before looking at the girl's face. There were tears on the letter. He didn't like to see young girls cry. With that, Nagata's response was to smile and pat the girl on the head.

He said to the girl, "Alright, I'll give this to your father."

"Really?"

"Yes." After saying that, Nagata received a hug from the girl and Nagata gave one in return. "Better?" The girl nodded and Nagata said, "Good. Now get out and have fun."

After the children left, the relieved Ruby went to Nagata. "What did you and that little girl talk about?"

Nagata answered, "Her father was one of the soldiers that served under me and was one of the victims that were lost when the Grimm attack," Nagata sighed. "She asked me to give this letter to him."

Ruby saddened after hearing it and said, "It's hard taking that kind of burden."

"Yeah. Her father and the others died serving Shoku and me. They died to protect this kingdom in my name. So, I have to take responsibility for their deaths and make sure they didn't die in vain."

"Leadership isn't all that glamorous, is it?" Ruby asked.

Nagata sadly replied, "It never really is. When you win, you receive glory. However, in a war, there is always a price you need to pay. You need to send your soldiers out, knowing they may not survive."

"Anyway, moving on." Nagata took a deep breath and moved on. "There's another place I want to take you.

* * *

"There we are," Nagata said. When they arrived, Ruby saw many scarecrows were set up all over the area in front of her and all of them had bullseyes painted on them.

"Oh, a gun course," Ruby said excitedly.

Nagata explained to Ruby, "I asked a few of the villagers to let me take a bunch of their worn down scarecrows. It may not be fancy like those in our worlds but it'll do."

Nagata picked up a bow and arrow. Nagata readied himself. He pulled the arrow. The target within sight, Nagata released the arrow and fired. Unfortunately, it hit a rock instead.

"Shoot," Nagata cursed himself.

Then after that…

**BANG!**

One of the scarecrows was blasted apart. Nagata looked to his side and saw it was Ruby who was responsible as the barrel of her Crescent Rose was smoking.

"Wow, that's a really cool weapon you have there," Nagata admitted.

"Yup, Crescent Rose is my sweet baby," Ruby smiled.

Nagata blinked. "Your baby?"

Ruby explained, "I built her myself."

"Wow. Now that is impressive."

"Not as impressive as a magic belt that materializes armor using locks," she countered.

"Well, I didn't build my gear. You must be a whiz with weapons if you made a scy-fle," he complimented.

"Scy-fle?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"Scythe and rifle hybrid. A scy-fle," he explained.

"Just call her Crescent Rose. Scy-fle just sounds weird."

"OK," Nagata continued. "Can I try it?"

"Sure," Ruby said and she handed her weapon to Nagata.

Nagata now felt the Crescent Rose. Surprisingly, it was very light. He pointed the Crescent Rose at a scarecrow. Nagata readied himself in case the weapon had a powerful recoil. Focusing and saw a good point, Nagata fired.

**BANG!**

Nagata missed as he pouted. "My aim's terrible."

Ruby noticed Nagata's hands were shaking a little. "Didn't you use that gun/sword thing?"

"I did but I was more effective with it when I'm in the armor." He was more of a melee fighter and he rarely used his Musou Saber's gun during combat, only using it when he needed to make some space between him and his opponents. He even preferred using the Sonic Arrow as a melee weapon more than the long-ranged one. As for Kachidoki Arms, he mainly used the Kachidoki Bata as makeshift battle staffs and he used the DJ Gun for multiple opponents where accuracy wasn't an issue. He used the High Pitch machine gun fire to mow down multiple enemies and with its shooting rate he never missed gunning any of them down. He also preferred using the Taiken Mode.

"I can teach you if you want."

"Really?" Nagata asked Ruby. "You can?"

"Sure, let me come over here," Ruby nodded as she walked up to Nagata. Then, she grabbed a hold of his arms. Ruby leaned closer and her front was in contact with Nagata's back. "Make sure you level your arms when you want to aim."

Normally, Ruby would be flustered to the max right now when she was close with people that were not of her family. However as she had said before, Nagata was an exception. The only thing Ruby could described about Nagata that explained this was that he had this Aura around him that felt familiar.

As for Nagata, he was blushing from Ruby being very close to him but it was unlike those that signified the person was feeling awkward or embarrassed. No, Nagata was feeling warm. He had a smile that went along with the reds on his cheeks.

Ruby moved Nagata's hands and when she saw it was ready, she yelled, "Fire."

**BANG!**

"See, that wasn't so hard," said Ruby as she let go of Nagata. Nagata stared at the now charred scarecrow.

Nagata flexed his fingers. After the first and second time, Nagata really felt the power within Ruby's weapon but more importantly the strength within Ruby for being able to wield such a weapon. "You really are strong."

"And not just strong." Ruby disappeared for a moment much to Nagata's shock until she reappeared behind him. "I'm also superfast which comes in most handy when dodging the bad guys."

Nagata asked, "Is your world that dangerous?"

"Well not as dangerous as it was before." Ruby gave a sad smile. She looked up at the sky as she tells her tale, "Back then, we were heavily squeezed from both sides. One side was our own kind and the other, the Creatures of Grimm that have existed since as long as humans have been around."

"That must be rough."

Ruby nodded. "It was but thankfully, we discovered Dust and the ability to harness Aura, giving us a chance to defend ourselves from the Grimm. We've had wars but after that, we are now living in a time of peace."

"Must be nice," Nagata replied.

"So what about you?" Ruby asked Nagata. "What's your world like?"

"The world I come from is pretty modern and we're mostly at peace. However, wars still take place and people can't get along all the time," Nagata answered. "As for this world, we are living in a time of war. We enjoy a brief moments of peace but ever since the Imperial Government collapsed, smaller factions and the other kingdoms have been trying to gain power by absorbing the surrounding territories that used to belong to the empire."

"Guess your worlds and mine aren't so different."

"Yeah." Nagata turned away from Ruby and lowered his head. The more he spent time with her, the more the precious memories of his old days were returning. However, when he saw that little girl who gave him that letter for her father and the talks about war, it was also bringing back the bad ones. The most significant was the event that took his parents away from him. Nagata must ensure that doesn't happen.

"Gaim-sama!"

Nagata lifted his head and saw a soldier heading towards him and Ruby. "We've completed pulling out all the debris out of the storage house. It's safe to enter."

"Good." Nagata's face turned serious. Now to find some clues.

* * *

It was time to investigate the ruins of the storage room. The Rinrinshi also known as the Salamander Rinrinshi took something from there and they need to find out what that was.

Out of everyone, Komei was the most devastated. She had grand plans to read those sacred books but fate has taken that right from her. Komei held the ashes and her eyes showed tears comically.

"These poor books. Never again would they be read." Komei was a scholar at heart and thus the lost chance to gain new knowledge from the books was a huge blow to her. They had worked hard to recover them but they had ended up like the ones that had burnt in Rakuyo.

Nagata felt sad for the young girl. When this was over, he'll figure something to cheer Komei up.

"Nagata-sama!" Ryuubi's voice attracted him. Nagata went to her. Ryuubi knew it was hard losing her men but that won't stop her. What she can do now was to help on finding the Rinrinshi responsible for this and bring him to justice. This was why she was helping in the investigation.

Ryuubi pointed. "This was where the Rinrinshi was. He was holding a book and when we got close to him, he threw it and blew it up."

Nagata looked around. According to Ryuubi and the surviving soldiers, the Salamander Rinrinshi was surrounded. The monster retaliated by first throwing the book at the soldiers that were behind him before going on the offensive.

Nagata thought about it. Although it should be completely destroyed, Nagata believed that some part of it may still be intact. If it was, then it would solve this mystery.

But so far nothing. All he saw were ashes, concrete and wood. He was about to move on until finally, he noticed something. Under the piles of wood, he noticed a tiny light underneath.

Curious, he went to it. He pulled the debris away and swept away the piles until he found it.

"What's this?" Nagata whispered. He stared at the object he just took. It was just a cover of a book but it was glowing gold.

In his experience, book covers didn't glow. If a book cover glowed, it wasn't normal, unless it was covered in glow in the dark paint. It was then he saw something that really caught his interest.

At each corner of the cover, there were pictures which Nagata recognized: The Azure Dragon, the Vermillion Bird, the White Tiger and the Black Turtle. At the center of the cover, there was a fifth picture and it depicted the Yellow Dragon.

Nagata didn't ponder long as all of a sudden the book started to shake. Nagata tried to hold it tight but it was futile and he dropped it to the floor. Then, the cover gave off a burst of light.

"Whoa."

* * *

**Yesterday**

Meanwhile, the rest of Ruby's friends were having adventures of their own.

"What the blarg?"

When Yang opened her eyes, she saw herself looking up at trees and even more trees. Stars surrounded her head as she started to recover. Shaking herself to make the stars go away, she stood up and dusted off her clothes.

"Now where am I?"

The last thing she remembered was the fight at the abandoned factory before some huge burst of light engulfed her and everyone else.

"I'm guessing I'm not in Vale anymore," she commented. Yang had traveled a lot around Vale. She was very observant of her surroundings and the environment she was currently at did not match what she saw in Vale. It did remind her of the Emerald Forest, though.

Not the type of girl to wait around, Yang began to move. She didn't know where she was going. She was hoping to find a path that would lead her towards civilization. That way, she could at least find out where she was.

She got an idea and took out her Scroll. She could call the others. When she activated it, she frowned as she saw that there was no signal. That made the Scroll as about as useful as a brick. Frowning, she put away her device and kept moving.

If Yang knew where she was, she would know that bandits and thieves would hide in forests like this. They would wait for unwary travelers who would be foolish enough to pass through here.

Unfortunately, she received confirmation. The moment they saw the blonde bombshell, they immediately came out of hiding.

Yang saw the bandits come out of the bushes, wielding their swords. She frowned. Judging by their clothes, she was sure she's not in Vale anymore. Also, she could smell them from where they stood. Clearly they needed a bath. She didn't like the way they looked at her. She recognized it well. It was a gaze a predator had when they found a prey.

There were three of them and they were all leering at her. The one in front licked his lips as he leered lecherously at Yang. After all, she was quite beautiful with nice curves and a big bust. She had looks that were irresistible. Yang knew she had good looks and took advantage of them often. Of course, her looks could also lead to all kinds of trouble.

"Alright, girly. Hand over your bracelets," the lead bandit demanded.

"You want my _bracelets_?" Yang frowned. They were referring to her precious Ember Celica.

"That's right. If you do then we'll be _gentle _with you." Yang knew what he was implying.

"Gentle, huh?" Yang smirked. "OK, you can have my bracelets. Just come over." She grinned saucily at them and the bandits approached. They just could not resist coming closer.

It appeared that they did not recognize a honey trap when they saw one. As soon as the lead bandit reached towards her, Yang's Ember Celica mecha-shifted into their gauntlet form and she quickly let the bandit have a violent haymaker right in the face. He never saw it coming as his eyes bugged out comically before he was thrown backwards and crashed straight into the nearest tree, causing him to be knocked out.

The two remaining bandits gawked at what had happened then back at Yang. One of the two tried to swing his sword at Yang but she blocked it with her right gauntlet and then punched him several times in the stomach. The last punch caused her to fire her Dust rounds straight into him and he was propelled straight into another tree, causing it to break in half before it fell with him.

The last of the bandit trio turned to Yang and dropped his weapon. He immediately knelt and begged, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please forgive me! I was just following orders!"

Yang gripped him by his shoulder and lifted him up before she reached down with her other hand and grabbed his junk. He let out a yelp and whined as she started to twist his balls in her hand.

"How about you tell me what I need to know right now so I don't turn you into a woman?" Yang threatened while smiling sweetly. The bandit's face was red and he was sweating bullets as Yang continued to apply pressure. He let out a loud wail of agony and fright.

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:**

**Kazuto Kenshin (AU counterpart of Kirito/Kazuto Kirigaya from **_**Sword Art Online**_**): **Kazuto Kenshin is the biological father of Ushio Kenshin. He works as a game designer and he was responsible for the creation of games such as 'Pandora' and 'Era of the Silver Wings'. All games were unanimously praised for their unique gameplay from both reviewers and fans. When not doing work, he returns home and spends quality time with his beloved wife and children or hangs out with his friends at a bar. Kenshin and Kazuto have a great relationship. The two spent quality time by either going fishing or when Kazuto bring his games home, the two played together. Prior to his son's departure to his field trip to the museum, Kazuto was working on an MMO (Massive Multiplayer Online) that he believed would revolutionize the gaming world. His alias is Soos Garvey.

**Asuna Kenshin (AU counterpart of Asuna Yūuki from **_**Sword Art Online**_**):** Asuna Kenshin is the biological mother of Ushio Kenshin. She is co-owner alongside her partner and best friend, Yuuki of a popular cosplay shop called Mother's Rosario. The outfits at the shop were a mix of old and modern and customers came by hundreds or thousands when it was the holidays. Asuna created the shop after been inspired by the World Costume Festival she witnessed during her and Kazuto's honeymoon at the Philippines. Interestingly, the majority of the costumes' themes at the time were focused on the medieval times. Despite the heavy workload, Asuna would always make time to care for her three children. She is strict towards Ushio, mostly due to his frustrating personality but Asuna loves her son nonetheless and Kenshin understands that well to try improving himself.

**Yui Kenshin (AU counterpart of Yui from **_**Sword Art Online**_**):** Yui Kenshin is the sister of Ushio Kenshin and eldest child of the Kenshin family with Ushio being the youngest. Yui is a young woman who inherited her father's black hair and eyes and her mother's beauty. She is intelligent but can be childish at times. She displays a curious personality but can be reckless on occasions. The one trait that cannot be questioned however was her strong love and loyalty towards her family. Pros over the cons, many considered Yui a Yamato Nadeshiko, the ideal Japanese woman. She is currently studying abroad focusing particularly on subjects regarding technology but Yui would make time to visit her family. Yui and Kenshin have a close bond with Kenshin always defending his sister from any man or woman who would try to seduce her.

* * *

**GKoh:** Initially it was supposed to be just one chapter detailing all our girls from RWBY dealing with their newfound predicament but when more scenes are added and some deep thinking, it was better the chapter be split. We see how Ruby and Yang are doing. Now we will go to our other lovely heroines.


	10. Guests Part 2

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**GKoh**: Kamen Rider Chrome, the man responsible for many hit fanfiction series, Kamen Rider Showa, Rosario Kiva, Love Hina Double Trouble and finally, the Sangokuden Armored War God Saga.

Therefore as a token of gratitude, I present this promo to his current work, Age of the Armored War Gods. This is for you Chrome.

**Welcome everyone.**

**I hope you're well.**

**I'm the Blue King of Shoku, Nagata Oda.**

**What? You didn't catch that?**

**Well, I'll say it once more. I'm the Blue King of Shoku, Nagata Oda.**

**Nice to meet you all.**

**Now, Armored War Gods begins**

_**HENSHIN!**_

_(Transform)_

_**Yami no kanata seijaku wo hikisaki**_ (At the dark world known as Helheim, evil forces emerged. A zipper portal revealed itself unleashing the Armored War Devils, Sigurd, Marika and Kagemusha who readied their weapons as they made their descent towards the land.)

_**Hoshi no nemuri yobiokosu no wa, Doitsu da? **_(Down at the ground at the misty alien forest, two more villains appeared. Bujin Gaim burst out of the ground followed by Duke who materialized himself and then pointed his Sonic Arrow and fired at the camera.)

_**Hora me no mae jaaku na tamashiitachi**_(Next was the ruins of an ancient city, there was a girl who was masked in a red cloak. Suddenly, she threw her garment off revealing her knight like armor before pointing her sword signaling the horde of Inves who sprang out of the buildings and attack.)

_**Nigeba wa nai massugu ni uketomero!**_ (Returning to the World of Sangokuden, other forces were mobilizing. At a hot blazing canyon, there appeared Baron. The camera pulled back showing not only the knight rising up but unveiling allies, Bravo and Knuckle at his side. The three stood strong, they marched into battle with the soldiers of Sou Gi in Gyro Mode Suika Arms flying above them.)

_**Someone tells me "yowaki" ya "osore" wo shōkyo shite**_ (At the same time, Son Go was doing likewise. Their ships were sailing along the kingdom's river and leading them were Zangetsu, Mars and Kamuro who appeared one by one riding on either Dandeliners or Lily Surfers.)

_**Bokura wa ishiki kumikaeru**_ (Next was the camera zooming through. As it did, it passed through Gridon who was at the left and Kurokage at the right before stopping to see Ryugen and Chuulain in full view. The two brothers were side by side with their weapons readied.)

_**Sono te wo tsuyoku nigiri **_(An orange sword was next to appear as well as the bright sun that shone its light on it. The camera lowered down and it revealed the full form of the wielder of the blade, Armored War God Gaim who was at the gates of the Kingdom of Shoku, pointing his Daidaimaru at the Heavens with the army of Shoku behind him and they were ready to defend their home.)

_**Tagai no kizuna shinjite **_(Four scenes showed the Armored War Gods once more. First were Baron, Bravo and Knuckle. Second were Zangetsu, Mars and Kamuro. Third were Gridon, Kurokage, Ryugen and Chulainn and finally the fourth was Gaim who rode his Sakura Hurricane and lead his army to victory with the army cheering on.)

_**Tatakae! **_(Camera zoomed towards the Kingdom of Shoku and made its presence known was the Seal of Heaven who hovered above with its eyes glowing. The camera then zoomed past it revealing the four Sovereign Beasts. The battle began.)

_(Transform)_

_**Saa All I can do **_(Ryugen dueled against Marika on top of a gigantic metal windmill and the winds were blowing fiercely.)

_**And all you can do **_(Gridon and Kurokage clashed with Sigurd at a modern metropolis with one building whose electronic television screen showed the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!")

_**Habatake Transform**_ (Somewhere located at the moon, there was an advanced complex where Kagemusha brawled against Knuckle with the latter roaring wild as he fired his Kurumi Bomber.)

_**Sono mune tsuranuku ikari wo chikara ni kae**_ (At a location where an eclipse was happening, Bloody Gaim fired a beam from his Musou Saber and Zangetsu blocked the attack with his Melon Defender from a tower that resembled a tree of legend. Next was a titanic battle taking place at a burning temple between Baron and Bravo against Duke and the new Armored War Devil.)

_**Ima All I can do, And all you can do, Kagayake Transform**_ (At the lair of the RinJyuKen, an army of kaijin assembled with the Femme Fatale Fists standing beside their creator and master who sat on his throne like a king. The camera went up to this dark lord's face and his eyes then gave a malevolent glow that fired an energy blast and hit Chulainn, Kamuro and Mars.)

_**Shinka no Stage e**_ (The blast then came to Gaim next who held his ground and eventually he eliminated the blast with his fist as he transformed into Kachidoki Arms. Then, the Azure Dragon suddenly came out of nowhere and roared causing Gaim somehow to have his eyes glowed blue before his body did the same.)

**TOUCH AND GO! **(Powered up, Gaim sped towards the leader of the RinJyuKen leaving a trail of lightning and then came a huge flash.)

(Last scene was the Armored War Gods assembled.)

…**Now back to the movie!**

**Chapter 6: Guests Part 2**

With no means to return to her own world, Ruby Rose decided that the best course of action was to stay in the World of Sangokuden with her new friends from the Kingdom of Shoku until one could be found. However, the young Rose was not the only one adjusting to her new surroundings. Her teammates were having adventures of their own.

* * *

**Blake's Tale**

The first thing that could be seen was water and lots of it. Also present was the fog that floated above the water. It was mostly silent as the sounds of droplets were heard. So far, everything looked and sounded normal. Then, something finally happened. A huge splashing sound was heard. Rings of water were centered on a particular section of the sizable body of water, confirming that something bigger than droplets entered into it.

Moments later, a figure burst out from the surface revealing herself to be the calm and cool member of Team RWBY, Blake Belladonna who was currently coughing out the water that managed to enter her mouth.

"I hate baths..." she muttered as she tried to regain her bearings. Blake hated baths but most importantly, the water that the baths were filled in with. Blake couldn't stress enough her distaste towards water. She tried her best to avoid them as much as possible even when she was in her room. Blake doesn't know why but she just did.

Wait a second? Why was she in a bath in the first place? Wasn't she at an abandoned factory of some sort?

Then, Blake remembered.

She remembered the battle against the group known as Grim Claw and the flash of light that engulfed her. Once that happened, she was here. She'll have to find out but right now, she needed to know where she was.

First off, Blake realized the water was hot, not scalding hot, but hot enough that it would be a hot spring. There was also steam around her but it wasn't a problem. Another thing she noticed was the blonde woman staring at her with wide eyes.

Wait, a blonde woman staring at her with wide eyes?

Then, the blonde woman screamed and Blake had to cover her sensitive Faunus ears. She now realized she was in a bathroom and the woman, most likely the owner, probably thought she was an intruder.

It was time to bolt.

Not wasting any time, Blake rushed for the doors which sprung open. She saw two girls, one with green hair and another with purple hair. They saw her but were unable to react as she sprung over them.

"Who was that?" asked Bunshu.

"Iishie!" yelled the ruler of En, Ensho. "Alert the guards! We have an intruder!"

"Yes, Reiha-sama," Bunshu quickly saluted and she immediately left.

Ganryo went to Ensho and asked, "Are you injured Reiha-sama?"

"No," replied Ensho. "I screamed before the assassin could lay her daggers on me."

Ensho did see a weapon behind the black haired girl's back. It did not look like what she described but Ensho didn't care about the details.

"Oh, I wish my Haru-sama was here. He would be sure to protect me from that treacherous assassin!" Ensho cried.

While she wanted to let her ruler recover from the ordeal but Ganryo need to do her duty. "I know you need rest now Reiha-sama but I have some grave news."

"What sort of grave news?" Ensho asked.

* * *

Blake did not know where she was. Nothing seemed familiar. She did know one thing though. She needed to get away and get out of here fast.

As she ran a corner, she stopped as she encountered a group of guards. When they saw her, they quickly responded.

In short time, Bunshu has informed any guards nearby to be on the lookout for a young female assassin. The only description she gave them was that the assassin wore a big black bow. With it, the guards deduced that the girl in front was the assassin.

"Halt!" one of the guards shouted, pointing a spear at her threateningly. Blake ignored the order and quickly left a Shadow before leaping over the guards. She then continued to flee.

The guards were momentarily confused by the Shadow which faded but then recovered as the lead guard shouted, "Spread out and find the intruder!"

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

While the guards ran all over the palace to find the assassin, the black haired girl was hiding behind one of the pillars.

Blake needed to find an exit quick but she didn't want to hurt the guards as well. They were just doing their job and from their point of view, Blake was an intruder.

The young woman heard a shushing noise. Blake guessed it was one of the guards who may have took the time to stop and look at the trail of water left by Blake when she took that unexpected dip.

Time to move.

Blake ran out of her hiding spot.

"There she is!" shouted one of the guards and the chase continued.

Blake ran and finally, she found doors to a balcony. But just when escape was within her reach, another group of guards appeared in front of her and they quickly closed the doors.

Blake was unfortunate enough to run into more of them. She already had another group on her tail who have just arrived behind her.

"Drop your weapons and surrender!"

Blake heard the command but had no intent of obeying it. Looks like she had no choice. Blake drew her weapon. Her Gambol Shroud left its sheath and she dual-wielded the scabbard and blades in both hands.

The lead guard rushed towards Blake. He thrusted his spear but Blake dodged to the side. The guard swung his weapon and Blake in response slice the spear's tip.

Her instincts kicked in, Blake jumped away from another guard's strike from above and quickly breaks the weapon as well. A couple more guards came at her but stabbed a Shadow as she ducked before she used a sweep kick.

She performed a series of backwards somersaults and while suspended in the air, upside down, she fired and broke off their spearheads. Another guard tried to grab her but Blake grabbed his arm instead and pushed him towards his disarmed comrades.

Out of the corner of her eye, Blake spotted a window high up on the wall. With a smile, she then decided to confuse them as she jumped and left a series of Shadow Clones to take the hits. She then converted her sword into scythe mode and tied her ribbon to it. She used her weapon and ribbon as a makeshift grappling hook and throws it at the window. Once she knew her Gambol Shroud was hooked, she used her ribbon to climb her way up and was out of the palace.

* * *

Blake escaped. She jumped from roof after roof until she was far away from the palace. Blake rested and sighed in relief. She congratulated herself for not harming any of them. Though the guards might be in trouble from their boss, that was not her problem. When she opened her eyes, look of confusion returned to her face.

'_What is this place?_' Blake thought to herself as she stared at her surroundings.

She stared at the sun that shone on her. Blake thought it cannot be as it should be nighttime.

Then, the young woman stared at the buildings. Most of them were rough, plain and honestly outdated compared to the buildings at Vale. Looking down, there were no roads or concrete pavements and the people wore clothing that looked like they belonged to the ancient times.

Blake tried to find a reasonable explanation for all this but one question kept coming back to her. Why did she have the feeling that she was not in Remnant anymore?

Suddenly, a shout occurred breaking Blake away from her long thinking. She looked down again and saw one person fleeing. He was not the only one as more followed. Blake turned to what the people were fleeing from and to her shock, they were fleeing from Ursai.

Panic filled the air as the people of this city ran from the Ursai. These huge, bear-like creatures were attacking them ferociously. While they resembled bears, the white bone-like masks upon their faces and bone-like spikes jutting from their limbs and back made them look like monsters from a nightmare.

With a roar, it swiped at the people and caught one in its clawed hand. The man screamed as he struggled to break free, but the creature's grip was strong. It raised its other clawed hand to crush the helpless man's skull when all of a sudden...

"**KURUMI SQUASH!"**

A warrior dressed in orange armor over a black bodysuit with huge fists performed a flying kick that smashed into the bear monster's head. It exploded, releasing the man who fell to the ground. The body of the bear monster fell as the warrior turned to the citizen and helped him to his feet.

"Run!" the warrior urged.

"Right! Yes! Thank you, Knuckle-sama!"

"Knuckle-sama?" Blake muttered to herself from the rooftop.

Knuckle nodded, rolling his shoulders, and turned to face the bear monsters. He didn't know what they were but that didn't matter to him right now. What mattered was that he could destroy them and that was enough for him.

"I'm Armored War God Knuckle! Now prepare yourselves for the beating of your lives!"

An Ursa rushed at Knuckle and opened its jaws. He reacted by punching it straight in the face, dislocating its jaws. He then spun his right fist and sent it flying into the air with a powerful uppercut. An Ursa tried to catch him from behind but he managed to avoid it by rolling to the side. It lunged at him but he bent his knees and kicked, knocking it backwards to crash into a wall. Flipping back to his feet, Knuckle faced more charging Ursai.

"Alright!" Knuckle punched his fists together and then he hit his belt's Cutting Blade twice.

"**KURUMI AU LAIT!"**

Knuckle surrounded himself in a giant sphere shaped like his signature Lockseed before he charged at the Ursai. They slammed into him but the energy around him caused them to explode on impact.

Knuckle heard more screams and saw Ursai surrounding a family. Acting quickly, he activated his Sparking finisher.

"**KURUMI SPARKING!"**

He punched and hurled cannonball-sized energy walnuts at the Ursai. The Ursai never knew what hit them and the family of three was safe. Knuckle quickly went to check up on them as soldiers came.

"Escort them to safety. Leave these monsters to me," Knuckle urged. The soldiers were in charge of keeping the city safe, but they couldn't handle creatures like these. He had seen good men die because of them, men he knew, men that he often stopped to chat with and share jokes as they went about their day.

He had seen the tragedy at Rakuyo and he didn't want a repeat of that again.

"Alright, you monsters! You want a fight, then come and get me you sons of bitch-bears!"

One Ursa pounced on Knuckle. This one was larger compared to the others, double in size in fact, much larger spikes on its back. It was an Ursa Major. It swept its arms around Knuckle and hugged him close. The Rider struggled as the Ursa Major was trying to squeeze the life out of him with a literal bear hug. It slowly tightened his hold and Knuckle found himself having trouble breathing as he tried to shake himself loose.

As his vision slowly began to fade due to lack of oxygen, he began to think, '_Sorry...Reiha-chan...Guess we won't have that wedding you always wanted..._'

Before the Ursa Major could snap Knuckle's spine, it suddenly loosened its grip, allowing Knuckle to break free.

"Huh?"

The Ursa Major just stood there before it slumped forward and collapsed on the ground. Standing on the creature's back was Knuckle's savior. While she did not look like she had the strength to kill such a beast, he had learnt in his experience that looks could be deceiving. Speaking of looks, Knuckle couldn't help but say this when he saw her.

"Saved by a ninja girl," Knuckle mused. "My ancestor would be jealous."

"Are you alright?" Blake asked. Knuckle was about to reply to her until the two heard a scream. Blake noticed where it was.

"Hold that thought." She jumped away.

A little girl was hiding in an alley but was found by an Ursa. The alley was small and the Ursa was trying to reach for her. She screamed shrilly. Suddenly, a black ribbon wrapped around the Ursa's neck and dragged it out from the alley. It struggled.

**BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!**

Four gunshots were all it took before the Ursa went down. Blake looked into the alley and extended a hand. The little girl cautiously took Blake's hand and she pulled her out of the alley.

"You're safe now," Blake assured the little girl and the recovered Knuckle approached the two.

"Let me take her," Knuckle offered as he took the little girl. He then handed her to a nearby soldier.

"Take her to the palace where it's safe." During emergencies like this, the citizens would be taken to the palace which was fortified. The soldier nodded and obeyed as he took the little girl to safety.

"Alright, ninja girl. You're with me," Knuckle said to Blake. She may not know who this armored man was, but since he was fighting the Grimm, she would consider him an ally. Blake saw an Ursa coming up from behind Knuckle. Seeing her reaction, he quickly spun on his heel and launched the Ursa into the air with an uppercut. He then hit his Cutting Blade, activating his finisher.

"**KURUMI SQUASH!"**

He leapt into the air and performed a dropkick which smashed into the Ursa, blowing it up. Landing, he turned to the other Ursa who was charging at him.

"Your turn!" yelled out Knuckle.

Blake was fast as lightning, leaving solid copies to take hits and distract the Grimm as she struck them down with her Gambol Shroud. A blade to the back of the neck, a decapitating blow, and even point blank shots, which shattered their masks were all it took to slay the Grimm.

As Knuckle watched, he couldn't help but want to join her in the action. Tossing up his Kurumi Bombers, he took out a Lockseed and unlocked it.

"**ICHIGO!"**

He swiftly exchanged it with his Kurumi Lockseed and locked it in before opening it using the Cutting Blade.

"**LOCK ON! ICHIGO ARMS! SHUSHUTTO SPARK!"**

Blake attacked the Grimm when a roar behind her made her turn around. It was about to crush her with a swipe when three kunai pierced its arms. She blinked before the kunai exploded, severing the limb. She searched for the source and saw Knuckle coming towards her wearing red armor that reminded her of a strawberry. In each hand was a kunai, the Ichigo Kunai.

"Ninja and Ninja." Haru may not be a full-fledged ninja, but his ancestor was, and he would be putting his ancestry to shame if he didn't at least try fighting as one for once. Granted, he was better at unarmed combat, but he could improvise when the situation called for it.

Dodging a swipe, he stabbed an Ichigo Kunai into an Ursa's head before leaping back. He watched as its head was blown right up before he turned and hurled a trio of kunai that struck three in the throat. They exploded magnificently.

Blake watched in awe.

"These look like the last ones," said Knuckle. "You with me?"

Blake nodded.

"This would be easier if I had Nagata's sword, but you work with what you got." He handed Blake a couple of his Ichigo Kunai. "Be careful. Those explode."

"I noticed," Blake deadpanned as she appraised the weapons. The strawberries drawn in the blades were cute, but from what she had seen these were not decorative weapons.

"Alright! Ikuze!"

* * *

Before long, the Grimm were slain. However, Blake wasn't happy as several people had been killed. Neither was Knuckle but he had to remain strong and instill some sense of order. The people needed to believe they were safe again.

"Guys, gather the bodies and call for everyone to identify them so we can hand them over to their families for a proper burial," Knuckle instructed the soldiers who bowed before they went to do as instructed. Sighing, Knuckle closed his Lockseed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He then turned his attention to Blake.

"You fight really well," complimented Haru.

"Thank you," Blake accepted the compliment.

"Anyway, the name's Haru Hattori, aka Knuckle."

"Blake Belladonna."

"You're not from around here, are you?" Haru asked having noticed her attire and weapons.

"You could say that," said Blake. "So, I see you're the one in charge here?"

"Well, the soldiers listen to me but Reiha-chan's the big boss around here. So, what's your story, Belladonna-san?"

Blake told her story to Haru about how she somehow appeared at the palace which Haru explained belonged to Ensho, lord of Kei Province, how she escaped and finally, here. And upon observing the looks from the other citizens, Blake finally deduced that she was in an alternate world.

Haru believed it, much to Blake's surprise. It wasn't that hard for him considering he had his fair share of dimensional hopping.

With that, Haru said, "Look, since you helped me out, I'll put in a good word for you to Reiha-chan."

"You'd do that for me?" asked Blake.

"If I ignore a person's cry for help, I don't deserve the title Armored War God." Haru gave a warm smile and it comforted the Faunus girl.

* * *

They arrived together at the palace where the citizens were being kept safe from the attack. Once Haru assured them that the monsters had been dealt with, they were escorted back to their homes.

"Mama, that's the lady that saved me," the little girl that Blake had saved pointed. Blake looked to see the little girl and mother approach. The mother took Blake's hands, crying tears of joy.

"Thank you so much for saving my little girl," the mother said gratefully before engulfing Blake in a hug. Blake wasn't much for hugs so she didn't return them. However, she allowed herself to smile.

"Bye, Onee-chan!" the little girl waved as she left with her mother to go home.

"Feels nice, doesn't it?" Haru asked.

"The gratitude, yes," Blake agreed.

"Well, you did help save the city. A little gratitude is the least you deserve. Now, come on. Let's go see Reiha-chan."

The guards at the doors saw Haru and bowed. Then they looked at Blake suspiciously. Due to what happened back here, Blake couldn't blame them and was a little nervous. Luckily, Haru stepped in front.

"Don't worry, guys. She's with me," Haru assured them. "We need to see Ensho."

Complying, the guards opened the doors and Haru and Blake entered. There sitting on the throne was Ensho who upon seeing her beloved Haru rushed to give her fiancé a hug.

"My beloved," smiled Ensho. "You've came."

"Ah gee, anything for you Reiha-chan," Haru grinned.

Lasted for a minute until she saw Blake. Ensho screamed at the sight of her.

"It's the assassin!" she screamed. Blake was getting nervous again and took a few steps back. Haru stepped in between the two.

"Reiha-chan, relax," Haru calmed his fiancée down. "Belladonna-san here ain't an assassin. Sure she's a ninja, but she helped me out fighting those monsters."

"Truly? She aided you in battle?" Ensho asked.

"Sure did, and she kicked major bear butt. You should've been there," Haru smiled.

Moments later, Ensho was informed about these monsters. According to the reports, they forcefully entered one of the gates and began wreaking havoc. Fortunately, her beloved Haru, the Ultimate Fist came in and smote the foul beasts. While she was still miffed about Blake crashing in on her bath time, but Haru's testimony helped to ease her anger.

Ensho composed herself and spoke, "Belladonna-dono, on behalf of my people, I thank you for your act of heroism."

"You're welcome," Blake accepted.

"Haru-sama, you are not injured, I hope," Ensho spoke to Haru.

"Takes more than a bunch of demonic bears to kill this guy," Haru boasted. Ensho smiled and kissed his cheek.

"The cooks have already prepared our meal. Would you like to join us, Belladonna-dono?" Ensho invited.

"She'll be happy to join us," Haru smiled as he accepted. Ensho turned to leave to have the cooks informed to make extra for their guest.

"That was easy," Blake remarked. She had met women like Ensho. They were arrogant, judgmental, and a royal pain in the ass.

"Reiha-chan's not so bad once you get to know her," Haru told Blake.

"You seem to have some pretty strong influence on her," Blake remarked.

"Yeah," Haru nodded and smiled softly. She comforted him after Chojo's defeat. She made sure to be his shoulder to cry on when it got too hard for him to hold it in. "So, you believe your friends are somewhere in China?"

"If I was sent here that means they were too," Blake frowned.

"You'll find them," Haru told her reassuringly. "If your bond as a team is strong enough, you'll find each other."

Blake smiled, though she had her doubts. Moving on, Blake then asked, "So, there are more Armored War Gods like you?"

"Yeah," Haru answered the Faunus.

"And what are they like?"

"Good guys to have your back, even if we're in different factions," Haru smiled. "Let me start off with Gaim. The guy's pretty cool. He can fight, he can cook and he runs his own kingdom. Next up is Baron. The guy is kind of a jerk."

* * *

**Weiss's Tale**

A lot of people had these good days where everything goes their way but they also ran into some bad ones where everything doesn't go their way. For Weiss Schnee, this was one of those bad days.

"OW!" the proud heiress of the Schnee Corporation rubbed her head as she got up. The fall she took was a little painful. "What...happened...?"

Weiss hoped that was the end of it.

"Ahem…"

She was proven wrong.

Weiss blinked as she turned and saw two girls. One had short green hair and the other was blonde with spiral twintail. The verdette wore a look of confusion while the blonde looked somewhat annoyed.

"Who are you?" Weiss questioned.

"Excuse me? I think the question is, who are _you_?" the blonde girl asked back.

Weiss wondered why this girl was angry until she felt something. She looked down and saw she was sitting on top of a plate. A plate of food. It was staining her skirt. However, that was not important.

"Ten'i, restrain her," the blonde girl ordered.

Ten'i saluted. "Yes ma'am!"

Ten'i immediately picked up Weiss and then put her hands roughly behind her back.

"Hey, let go of me!" Weiss demanded. She struggled using what remained of her strength but couldn't get loose from the grasp of the green haired girl.

"Sorry, but these are Sousou-sama's orders!" Ten'i replied.

"And even if you fell out of nowhere, you still need to answer some questions," the blonde girl told Weiss.

"What will you do to me?" Weiss questioned.

Hearing that, the annoyed blonde girl changed her face from a sour look to a devious smirk.

* * *

"LET ME OUT!" Weiss shouted behind bars. The little green haired girl had grabbed her and much to Weiss' surprise, was stronger than she looked. Then guards appeared and took her away. Her weapon, Myrtenaster was even confiscated from her. "DON'T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!?"

"That girl really has some strange clothes," Sousou studied their prisoner from afar. She would need to ask the one person who also wore these bizarre attires.

Alongside Sousou and Ten'i was Juniku. Having heard what Weiss did, she was displeased just like Sousou but her anger towards the heiress was greater than her lord's.

"Honestly, how dare that girl ruin Karin-sama's dish. She should have her fingers chopped off. Give the word Karin-sama, I shall do it personally too," Juniku requested.

Sousou calmly replied, "No need, Keifa. I actually think we can benefit if we acquire more information from her. Judging by her clothes, she's definitely not from around here."

"Do you believe she's from the same place Baron came from?" Juniku asked.

"I suppose."

"Where is Baron-niichan anyway?" asked Ten'i.

Sousou answered, "I sent him out to take care of a bandit problem. He says he's been bored staying in the palace so I allowed him to head out to stretch his legs."

* * *

Stretching his legs? Baron was having a marathon.

Baron did what Sousou asked. He headed to a canyon that was rumored to be a hotspot for bandit activity. Turned out the rumors were true. Naturally, Baron charged head into battle like a maniac along with his Crimson Guard who all shared their commander's enthusiasm.

The outcome was obvious. Baron won while the bandits crumbled.

Everything turned out alright until new challengers entered the scene.

**BLAM!**

The Crimson Enforcer of Gi had just sent a monster slamming against the wall.

"For a second there, I was afraid this was going to be easy." Baron had taken glance at the monsters. Other than their bone like traits, black skin and red markings, the monsters greatly resembled the long extinct dinosaurs he read from books.

Baron turned and used his Banaspear to block a bite from one of the monster's companions.

Pushing it back, Baron thrusted his weapon and impaled it into the eye of the beast. It roared in pain before Baron put it out of its misery.

A third appeared before Baron. He knew it was time to bring out the heavy hitter. Taking out one of his Lockseeds, he activated it.

"**MANGO ARMS! FIGHT OF THE HAMMER!"**

Transformed into Mango Arms, Baron roared as he slammed his Mango Punisher on top of a dinosaur's head. The head shattered and the creature fell to the ground.

One of the dinosaur-like creatures latched onto his back and tried to bite into his shoulder.

"GET OFF ME!" Baron roared as he grabbed hold of the beast and threw it to the ground. With another shout, he brought his Mango Punisher down, crushing it.

He looked at the carcasses of the creatures that lay around him. He knew they were unnatural. Their dead bodies were beginning to dissolve.

"What are these things?" Baron asked. When another horde came at him, he grinned. He'll hash out the details later. There was still more killing to be done.

* * *

At the high ground, Ukin was having the Crimson Guard set up the arrow launchers. They needed some time to prepare. So, Baron kept the dinosaurs distracted. At last, the arrow launchers were in place.

"Men! Open fire!" Ukin shouted.

After smacking another beast down, Baron noticed the arrow launchers. He ran back allowing the arrow launchers to do their part. They fired and the arrows surprisingly pierced into the monster's skins. However, they still kept coming.

"Like the appetizers, here's the main course." Baron pressed the Cutting Blade twice.

"**COME ON! MANGO AU LAIT!"**

"RAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Baron howled as he spun around and around, his Mango Punisher glowing before he threw it at the oncoming horde. There was an explosion before the weapon returned to his hand and the creatures were destroyed.

When the battle was over, Baron raised his mace high and his men cheered.

* * *

Mitsuki returned to meet up with his Crimson Guard. The creatures had caused the bandits to flee. Fortunately, his Crimson Guard had managed to catch them before they managed to get away.

"Is this all of them?" Mitsuki asked one of his lieutenants. Gakushin was the leader of his three lieutenants and his second-in-command.

"Yes, Baron-sama. They attempted to flee in the confusion but the men and I subdued them," she reported.

"Good work," Mitsuki smiled and Gakushin lowered her head, unable to meet his gaze as she blushed.

'_Why did he have to have such a sexy smile?_' thought Gakushin. Like Riten, she was also attracted to their leader, Baron. Unlike Riten, Gakushin kept her feelings hidden and maintained a professional attitude while around him.

"Now if I recall before we were interrupted, you were about to surrender." Mitsuki showed a smug look leaving the bandits to weep.

"Please don't kill me, Bloody Enforcer!" yelled the bandit.

"Bloody Enforcer?" Mitsuki asked.

"Apparently, it's a nickname the bandits have given you because you kill them," Gakushin informed Mitsuki.

He didn't like it, but there wasn't anything he could do about it.

Then, Mitsuki heard footsteps and turned to see a messenger.

Messengers were important, especially during the times of war. They were trained to be fast, either on their feet or on a steed. The fastest horses were bred for messengers so they could deliver their messages quickly and then return to deliver the reply. The ones that went by foot had high amounts of stamina and endurance. While they weren't trained for combat, Mitsuki respected them because of their inner strength and their determination.

The messenger that came rode on a horse. He was also checked by his Crimson Guard to verify his identity. You could never be too careful. Often times, spies and assassins slipped into army camps by pretending to be messengers and scouts. Checking them was also to ensure that they didn't carry any hidden weapons.

"Sir, Sousou-sama wanted this message delivered to you," said the messenger.

"What's the message?" Mitsuki asked.

"Apparently Sousou-sama found what might be an Armored War Goddess."

Hearing it surprised the young man. Mitsuki looked at his lieutenants who also shared the same looks as their commanding officer.

* * *

Riten drooled as she examined the Myrtenaster. "This is a very, very beautiful piece of craftsmanship."

"Looks like a rapier with a bullet chamber," Mitsuki added.

The road back to Gi was a safe one which allowed Mitsuki and his men to arrive sooner. His Crimson Guard had their captured bandits locked up until he decided what to do with them. Mitsuki and his closest lieutenants met up with Sousou. She told them what had happened while they were away. After confiscating her weapon, the white haired prisoner was locked up in a cell separate from the ones that the bandits Mitsuki captured were put in.

Sousou would have asked the prisoner herself but she had other matters to attend to. This kingdom wasn't running itself for your information. So, she contacted Mitsuki to find out more about her since he came out of nowhere just like that girl.

Currently, he and his lieutenants were observing the confiscated weapon. Riten was most joyed about this. Not known whether it was the look of the weapon or its function but no matter, she loved it anyway.

"So tell me Baron-sama, what are these bullets again?"

"They're ammunition used for a long range weapon called a gun." Mitsuki described his world's arsenal. "It's like a bow but you don't need to pull a string. You just put the bullet inside a chamber like that one, press a trigger and fire."

"That's amazing!" Riten was giggling like there was no tomorrow.

"Although, I never heard of a sword using this particular component. The swords I know are basically the same in China." Mitsuki continued to stare at the weapon which to him looked odd. "Think you can take it apart?"

"Oh no, Baron-sama. I'm afraid I might break it," Riten told him.

"Do you know who she is Baron-sama? Maybe she is from Heaven?" said Ukin.

"I don't think so," Mitsuki denied. "This weapon she had was more advanced than anything in my world. Well, anything I know of."

Gakushin asked, "What now, Baron-sama?"

Mitsuki replied, "I'm going to the source."

* * *

'_This has to be a bad dream_,' Weiss thought. Anyone in Remnant should have the brains to know that she was Weiss Schnee but the people here do not have a clue who she was.

Weiss pinched herself but sadly, she was still here. Weiss groaned in frustration and wondered if things can't get any worse.

Then, Weiss heard a loud knock followed by the sound of the doors opening.

"Where's the prisoner?" said a voice. After that, a male figure appeared before Weiss.

"Who are you?" Weiss demanded.

"I'll ask the questions here," Mitsuki replied. He learned a lot about interrogation from Chitoge.

"I'm not going to tell you anything," Weiss huffed, crossing her arms and turning her back to him.

"Really, because I have your weapon here." Mitsuki revealed that he was holding Weiss' Myrtenaster. Weiss spun around and gasped at the sight of her precious weapon.

"My Myrtenaster!"

"So, you named it," Mitsuki smirked. "Must hold some sentimental value. Would be a shame if it were broken."

"Don't you dare!" Weiss snapped.

"Tell me what I need to know then," Mitsuki offered. "Now then, you're obviously not from this world or era. I can tell that this technology is way more advanced than anything I have ever seen. Even Mao can't make heads or tails of it."

"If you must know, it's a Multi Action Dust Rapier," Weiss answered.

"Dust?" Mitsuki repeated.

"How can you not know what Dust is?" Weiss rudely questioned.

"I know what dust is, but we're probably not talking about the same kind of dust," Mitsuki retorted. "I can assume that this weapon is made for only you to use. To me it's just a fancy sword, good for decoration only."

"It's not! It's my signature weapon! As if a brute like you can figure it out!" Weiss frowned.

Mitsuki frowned. Before he could questioned her further, Mitsuki saw Gakushin coming over, "What is it, Nagi?"

"Sousou-sama wishes to speak with the prisoner, Baron-sama," Gakushin reported.

Mitsuki addressed Weiss, "You're lucky. It seems that Karin wants to speak to you. Try not to piss her off."

* * *

Weiss was escorted to the throne room by Mitsuki and Gakushin. Her wrists were tied together.

"Things have just gotten worse," Weiss muttered. As they walked down the corridor, Weiss' memories started to return. She recalled battling against the weird martial artists with masks and the next, she was blinded by a flash of light. Now she was here. All tied up and being brought to the lord of this palace which Weiss hate to admit that it was luxurious.

There was one thing she learned. When she was being locked up, she somehow noticed something was odd about her captors. They had no Aura. Aura is the manifestation of a person's soul. It was their shield and their power. It was the reason Huntsmen and Huntresses were able to do the most amazing feats. Yet despite not having Aura, the people here were strong such as that small girl who carried her.

After a while, Weiss was finally brought to Sousou. Sousou was lounging on her throne with Juniku. The strategist was giving the warlord a foot massage. Weiss was skeptical at first when she heard that Sousou was the lord because obviously, she looked too young to be one but seeing her here just left the heiress speechless.

"So, you're really the one in charge here?" Weiss asked, only to be forced to her knees by Mitsuki.

"You will speak when spoken to," Mitsuki growled.

"Mitsuki, be gentle with her," Sousou ordered and Mitsuki nodded before releasing Weiss. "So, what is your name?"

Weiss knew she was in no position to make demands, so she decided to be polite. Sousou seemed like a reasonable person.

"My name is Weiss Schnee," Weiss answered.

"Interesting name. Tell me, Weiss Schnee, where do you come from?" Sousou asked.

"I come from Atlas, a nation in the continent of Vytal," Weiss answered.

"I do not know these places," Sousou answered. "Are these territories in Heaven?"

"Heaven?" Weiss cocked an eyebrow.

"You appeared from out of nowhere in my kitchen. That would be the only explanation. You must come from another realm," Sousou concluded.

"I just want to know where I am," Weiss sighed.

"You are in the Kingdom of Sou Gi, in China," Mitsuki answered.

"Sou Gi? China?" Weiss asked.

"You really don't know? I guess you really are from a different world than me. I've never heard of places called Vytal or Atlas from where I'm from," Mitsuki replied.

"Mitsuki, may I see that weapon?" Sousou asked. Mitsuki brought the Myrtenaster up to Sousou and she examined it. "Lovely craftsmanship."

"It was forged by the best," Weiss bragged.

"Can you use it?" Sousou asked.

"Naturally," Weiss admitted.

"Then you wouldn't mind proving it in a duel," Sousou said.

"A duel?" asked Weiss.

"Yes, a duel. Right here," Sousou confirmed. "Depending on the result of the duel, you may go free."

"Alright, I accept," smiled Weiss.

* * *

Kakoton was called to duel with Weiss. She carried her dao sword, the Seven Star Hungry Wolf, in its sheath as she entered the throne room. She bowed to Sousou.

"Shunran, this is your opponent. Her name is Weiss Schnee," Sousou addressed. "Weiss-dono, please don't disappoint me."

"I won't," Weiss promised as she gripped Myrtenaster.

Mitsuki approached Kakoton and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "Good luck, Shunran." Kakoton blushed at the kiss and smiled. Sousou rolled her eyes in amusement.

Sousou stood up and raised her hand before bringing it down. "Begin!"

Kakoton instantly rushed at Weiss who drew her Myrtenaster. Quickly, Weiss dodged the first blow, jumping back before performing a twirl. A Glyph appeared beneath her feet, drawing curious looks before she glided towards Kakoton. The one-eyed woman parried the strike and then countered as she slashed at Weiss. Weiss ducked under the blow and swung at Kakoton who managed to dodge, but the blade of the rapier cut her cheek.

Backing away, Kakoton gripped her sword and lunged at Weiss who then plunged her blade into the floor. An ice wall erupted, stopping Kakoton in her tracks.

Sousou's eyes widened with increased interest as Juniku gasped at the magic Weiss displayed. Mitsuki just continued to watch with his arms crossed.

Kakoton scanned her surrounding for Weiss and then looked up to see Weiss coming down at her. Grinning, Kakoton decided to put more power into her swing and her sword struck Weiss, throwing her backwards. Fortunately, Weiss had her Aura activated, preventing her from being injured. She still felt the blow, though.

'_For a woman with no Aura, she's pretty strong_,' Weiss regarded her opponent. She waited as Kakoton came at her and the duel resumed.

"She's not half bad," praised Sousou as she watched and licked her lips. Mitsuki knew that look. It was the same one she had given Kanu frequently and even when she thought about Gaim's woman.

The chamber in the Myrtenaster rotated, causing flames to coat the blade. She swung and formed an arch that made Kakoton leap back. She grinned and performed a sweep kick, knocking Weiss to the ground before she got up and brought her sword down. Weiss rolled out of the way as the sword slammed onto the floor.

"Repairs to the floor will be taken out of your payment, Shunran," Juniku reminded.

"Just watch the fight, Keifa," Sousou admonished.

Mitsuki's frown deepened. The white haired girl sure knew how to fight, even if she looked like she had a sheltered life. Perhaps he had misjudged her.

That still remained to be seen.

Kakoton swung and Weiss slammed against the wall, knocking the wind out of her. She slowly recovered and saw Kakoton coming at her. She quickly summoned a Glyph and leapt onto the ceiling and used a Glyph to stick herself to the surface. Weiss' eyes narrowed as she formed numerous Glyphs and then launched spikes of ice at Kakoton. Kakoton roared as she slashed with her sword, shattering them.

Weiss slipped away to the other side of the ceiling and then she dropped down. Kakoton came at her and Weiss was forced to block before a kick to her stomach knocked the wind out of her again. Kakoton then grabbed hold of Weiss' ponytail, causing her to let out a shout of pain before she was thrown across the floor.

"Ow..." Weiss groaned and saw Kakoton with a few strands of her hair inside her hand. She may not be Yang, but she also cared about her hair. Gritting her teeth, she rose up and then glided towards Kakoton. Sparks flew as blows were exchanged, Kakoton parried and swung while Weiss countered and slashed. The fight was intense as their audience was at the edge of their seats.

Kakoton roared and threw Weiss towards the wall with a swing. Weiss caught herself and landed with her feet touching the wall before she formed a Glyph and catapulted herself towards Kakoton. The eye-patched general raised her sword to block but it shattered when struck by Weiss' Myrtenaster as she was knocked backwards and into the wall.

"Winner by a knockout!" Juniku declared.

Mitsuki was instantly at Kakoton's side as he checked up on her. "Are you alright, Shunran?"

"She's stronger than she looks," Kakoton replied as she rubbed her head.

Weiss then declared, "And that is why I'm one of the best in my class."

As Weiss sheathed her Myrtenaster, Mitsuki's eyes narrowed at her attitude. It was the reason he disliked the young female teen. It was that stuck-up attitude, that she was better than everyone because of the wealth and status, because she was simply born into it. Sousou might be seen as an arrogant warlord, but she had earned her place. That was why he respected her. He accepted Sousou's attitude because she deserved to behave that way. Weiss was just a trust-fund baby who got by because of her family's name and wealth.

"I apologize for my failure, Karin-sama," apologized Kakoton.

"It's alright. You were a worthy opponent and you allowed me to see what our guest is capable of," Sousou smiled.

"I bet I can give her a bigger challenge," muttered Mitsuki angrily.

* * *

After the duel, Weiss was made to wait outside the throne room. Sousou and her officers were currently deliberating on what to do with her. Weiss paced about impatiently as the guards watched her warily. Weiss didn't like how Sousou had her weapon taken again, but the Schnee heiress would need to be patient and play by her host's rules, lest she be thrown back into the dungeon again.

Sousou had given her an offer earlier, which went like this:

* * *

"_Weiss Schnee, you have proven your worth in battle. Despite appearances, you are clearly a highly skilled warrior. That is why I offer you a place in Sou Gi as one of my officers," Sousou offered._

_Weiss' eyes met with Sousou's and she said outright, "I refuse."_

_Juniku gasped and Sousou narrowed her eyes at the answer._

"_How dare you refuse Karin-sama's generous offer!" Juniku snapped._

"_I'm sure that someone else would love the job, but right now I have a school to go back to and a team who are most likely trying to find me. There's no telling what trouble they will get into without me there to watch out for them," Weiss argued. She had no time to become some officer to the queen of a kingdom she had never heard of._

"_Alright, since you've refused, then I can't stop you," Sousou agreed. "You may go."_

"_Thank you," Weiss curtsied._

"_Yes, you may go, if you can find your way around this land," Sousou added mischievously._

"_...Excuse me?"_

"_Clearly you don't know where you are and you don't look like you're from around here. Without a guide or even a map, you have no idea where to go. I can't stop you from leaving, but you clearly have no place to go. I may not need you but you seem to need something from us. So, are you sure you don't want to reconsider my offer?"_

* * *

That was what left Weiss so frustrated. She could not refute Sousou. Weiss may know her way around Vale but she was not familiar with this place. She could get lost and she doubts she had the right currency. Sousou was just going to let her leave without giving her anything and the Schnee heiress could get lost in this unfamiliar place she had found herself in.

Without the local currency, she may not be able to survive. All she had were the clothes on her back, the Dust she carried with her and her Myrtenaster. Getting money would mean selling the possessions she had on her and she was not willing to part with any of them.

Was this Hell? If it wasn't then it was as close to Hell that the Schnee heiress could believe.

Just as Weiss was about to rant on how unfair her predicament was, she heard something. It was singing. While Weiss was better at singing, she couldn't deny that it was good. Weiss could tell a lot of soul was put into them. Gotten curious, she followed.

* * *

Back at the palace, the generals of Gi were having a long discussion.

"I don't like her," Mitsuki stated absolutely.

"Usually you and Karin-sama are on the same page when it comes to recruiting new talent," Juniku pointed out.

"Yes, you saw Schnee's skills in combat. Clearly she has strength and talent," Sousou added.

"I don't like her attitude, that's all. She's arrogant, high and mighty and gets on my nerves," grumbled Mitsuki.

"I've been told I'm an arrogant person myself," Sousou retorted.

"The difference is that I actually like you," Mitsuki reminded and she smiled. She was touched by his honesty.

"Well, we can't just send her off without an escort. That would be cruel."

"It's not like we owe her anything."

"Mitsuki has a point," Juniku agreed.

Sousou spoke, "Look, my decision is final. She will remain as a guest here in Sou Gi. That is why I decided that she will require an escort to accompany her during her stay."

"Oh, and which unlucky bastard did you get for this job?" Mitsuki asked interested. Sousou smiled at him and his eyes widened in realization at the look he was getting.

* * *

It took quite a while but Weiss was finally able to track the source of the song.

Weiss saw five people. The heiress then noticed that three of them were the ones responsible for singing that great melody. The other two just stood there, most likely the trio's audiences.

Wanting to know more, Weiss went towards them.

* * *

The Chou Sisters finished their song and struck poses as Marcus and Ukin applauded. Mitsuki's bespectacled lieutenant was a common sight at the Chou Sisters' practices. She was a huge fan even before joining Sousou's faction.

Chouryou was noticeably absent. The woman was probably at the tavern and getting herself drunk again. It was her day off after all.

"_Tres bien! C'est magnifique! Fantastique! Bravo!_" Marcus applauded. "My angels, you have improved incredibly!"

"Thank you, Marcus-kun," Chokaku smiled as she walked over to him with her sisters. He handed them their towels and bottles of water.

"It was all thanks to you," said Choryo.

"Oh, no need to thank me, girls. You are the talent," he told them.

"Hey, don't cut yourself short. You choreographed the whole thing and wrote the song," Choho said.

"Yes, and you suggested we modify our microphones so that we left our hands free," Choryo said as she pointed to the earrings they wore. The gems were the exact same ones used for their microphones, just made smaller. Only a simple spell was needed to activate them.

"Well, I just thought using your arms when you danced would improve your performance," said Marcus. He then received kisses on his cheeks from the girls.

"You've been supporting us to this point, Marcus-kun," Chokaku smiled with a blush. "I don't know where we'd be without you."

"I'm sure you'd do fine, Tenho-chan. You have the beauty of angels with voices to match," Marcus smiled. The girls swooned at his compliments. He just knew what to say.

Ukin noticed Weiss coming and immediately greeted, "Hey, you're the white haired intruder that ruined Sousou-sama's meal."

"I'm no longer the intruder. I'm-" Weiss swallowed her pride and spat it out, "-an officer of Gi."

Marcus addressed Ukin, "Ukin-san, who is this fine young lady?"

"She's a young woman who appeared out of thin air and destroyed Sousou-sama's dish and was locked up for it," Ukin answered Marcus. "Sousou-sama believed she's an Armored War God just like you."

Weiss blinked a bit of what she heard. '_Armored War God? Just what is that?_' she thought to herself.

"Really?" said Marcus. Well, that would explain the girl's attire which Marcus thought looked fabulous. Marcus then realized that Weiss must be a fish out of water here. Since she was now a fellow officer, as a gentleman, he must make sure a lady was treated properly. Hence, he walked up to Weiss.

"What is your name, _Mademoiselle Blanc_?" Marcus asked.

"It's Weiss Schnee," Weiss introduced herself.

"Ah, I see," Marcus bowed and took her hand. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Sou Gi, _Mademoiselle_ Schnee."

He kissed her knuckles.

"Finally, a _real _gentleman," smiled Weiss, surprised to meet someone with good manners.

However, she felt the Chou Sisters glowered at her. They were OK with sharing Marcus with Chouryou Bun'en, but nobody else.

"By any chance, are you a singer?" Marcus asked.

"How can you tell?" Weiss asked.

"Oh, I have an eye for these things. I can tell when someone is a singer. It's all in how they speak," Marcus boasted.

"Well I did do a few performances," Weiss boasted. "And all of them received critical acclaim from many reviewers."

"I see, can you present this jaw dropping talent of yours to us?"

"Well, if you insist." Weiss couldn't resist. She went in front and sang.

* * *

Mitsuki grumbled in irritation. As soon as Sousou made her decision, he went to get Weiss to tell her the news. Unfortunately, she had wandered off. Annoyed, Mitsuki went to look for her. After all, he was her assigned escort.

He got the feeling that Sousou only made him do this to mess with him. It was probably to pay him back for the comments concerning her stature. He may need to tone down on the number of times he called her a 'loli'.

This wasn't a hard assignment, but he didn't want to spend a long period of time with the new guest. He just couldn't stomach her presence at all.

"The loli better pay me extra for this," he grumbled.

* * *

"_Mirror, mirror, tell me something._

_Who's the loneliest of all?_

_I'm the loneliest of all..."_

Weiss finished her song, bringing Marcus, Chokaku, Choho, Choryo and Ukin to tears.

Marcus wept. "That was _beau_. That was _beau_."

"Oh my..." Chokaku wiped the tears from her eyes. That song, it was just _so _beautiful. It was sad but at the same time it was beautiful. The notes just plucked at her heartstrings. Chokaku could sense that there was a story underneath it all and she could actually _see _the song when she heard it.

Choho and Choryo were touched as well, even if the latter was normally so stoic when she wasn't performing. She removed her glasses to wipe her tears as well.

"Thank you," Weiss accepted the praise modestly yet at the same time proudly.

"You have an incredible talent that makes even Goddesses envy you," Marcus claimed. The Chou Sisters heard and had to agree. Weiss' talent was at a whole other level compared to theirs.

Hearing those words made Weiss blush. She knew she shouldn't be susceptible to flattery but she couldn't help herself. "And thank you for the praise again, Mister-"

"Date. Marcus Date," the blonde Armored War God stated.

"You know, we have a concert coming up soon. We would love to have you join us," Chokaku offered. Her sisters nodded in agreement.

"That's very gracious of you," Weiss smiled.

Marcus offered, "Since you're new here, why don't I show you around as a guide."

"Unfortunately man, that position has been taken."

Arriving was Mitsuki himself. He heard the singing. Weiss scowled at the sight of him. She had not forgotten how he had treated her.

Mitsuki spoke in a not amused tone, "As of this day, I will be babysitting this white haired brat."

Then, Marcus and the others gasped.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?" Weiss shrieked.

"Yeah, those were Karin's orders. Believe me. I don't like it any more than you do."

Well, this was going to be an interesting friendship, the term 'friendship' being used VERY loosely.

* * *

**Present Day**

Meanwhile at an unknown part of China lay a fortress. It was a true castle of horrors with dead trees, flocks of crows and black thunderous clouds billowing in the sky. Inside was no better. Lanterns lit up at a room where there were five seats and sitting on them were the Five Femme Fatale Fists, the commanders of the RinJyuKen Akugata. They were each beautiful in their own way but their beauty hid the monstrous wickedness that each of them possessed. They were akin to roses: beautiful to look at but with sharp thorns that could hurt you.

They were here as an ally of theirs wanted to meet with them. Speaking of which, he had arrived.

Ukitsu greeted the Femme Fatales, "Mighty Femme Fatale Fists, it has been so long and might I say that all of you have remained ravishing as ev-"

"Skip the flattery and state your business," interrupted Shachihime. The Femme Fatales couldn't stomach cheap compliments especially ones from a bug like Ukitsu.

Ukitsu stood up. "Very well, I am here to report to you that Genpou-dono has returned from his survey on the Kingdom of Shoku."

"Did he find any weak spots on their defenses?" asked Takahime. "Information like that would be useful for the coming invasion."

Word has spread around several parts of China about Shoku celebrating their Blossom Festival. It wasn't long when that news reached the ears of the RinJyuKen who immediately planned their next move. With the festival, it would be the perfect opportunity to attack it and weaken the morale of everyone that lived there. A weakened morale would then lead to fear, paranoia and despair. Those emotions would be a great source to harvest Rinki from.

Then, Hebihime turned to Ukitsu who was giving them a strange look. "Your mouth's opened. What's the matter?"

Ukitsu responded, "My apologies but it sounded like you said that you're all still preparing. I thought the invasion was done."

"What?" said the Snake Rinrinshi.

"According to Genpou-dono, just as Shoku was about to celebrate their Blossom Festival, they were attacked by the forces of the RinJyuKen."

"What are you talking about? Our forces have been on standby since this morning," Takahime explained.

"Really?" said the shocked Ukitsu. "Most puzzling."

Shirokumahime asked the human, "Tell us, what do these 'RinJyuKen' look like?"

"Well, they looked like animals," Ukitsu explained.

"That's _very _specific," Hebihime sarcastically remarked considering that the entirety of the RinJyuKen were 'animals'.

"They possessed black fur, white skulls that they wore as masks and red markings over their bodies," Ukitsu elaborated.

The Femme Fatales looked at one another with confusion or wonder. The RinJyuKen never had creatures like that. In fact, they never heard of creatures like that.

"And one other thing," Ukitsu said. "Genpou-dono mentioned this. It was the reason he and I make this incorrect assumption. He thought he saw a Rinrinshi amongst the creatures, a salamander to be precise."

Ukitsu waited but all he got was silence. That last word received a reaction. The Femme Fatale Fists were oddly shocked.

The spectacled man explained, "It may be wrong after all because Genpou-dono was watching the whole thing from a distance."

"No, he's not wrong," said the leader of the Femme Fatales. "We did have a Rinrinshi that matches that description but it's impossible."

"Why's that?" asked Ukitsu.

Shirokumahime looked to Ukitsu and said, "Because he's supposed to be dead."

Ukitsu blinked in astonishment at what he heard but it grew even more when he stared at the Femme Fatales. The way they looked now. It looked like they were nervous. More accurately, they looked afraid. The RinJyuKen were not easily frightened because they were individuals who were resurrected from the ultimate fear, death.

Ukitsu asked, "Who is this Rinrinshi?"

The Femme Fatales returned to reality. They looked at Ukitsu for a short while before looking at each other. One by one, they nodded to one another. After that, Shirokumahime spoke.

"Long ago before you were born and before we were born, there was the golden age. During that time, there were no wars and no bloodshed. Everywhere around, the people were peaceful and happy. They helped one another in their time of need, they have their playful banter and they sing along when everything was perfect," the Polar Bear Rinrinshi said all of that in disgust. "It all leads them to believe that this was the age where evil was vanquished once and for all."

Then, Takahime stepped in, "As you can see, they were sorely mistaken. You see, there is a balance between two forces: Good and Evil. Light and Dark. Order and Chaos. Life and Death. No matter how hard they try to suppress, there is a darkness hidden deep under humanity's skin, waiting to come out and it happened."

Shachihime was next, "A group emerged. They were a small band of sorcerers who were curious about what lied beyond the mortal realm. They traveled far and wide, encountered many oddities and eventually, dabbled into the Dark Arts with two being the most proficient."

Hebihime spoke after that, "Unfortunately, their experiments were a little unstable and it left quite the damage and bodies."

"I assume the Emperor didn't take it lightly?" Ukitsu joked.

Shachihime replied, "He didn't. The Emperor sent out his battalion to find those responsible. The sorcerers managed to avoid them for a while but soon, they will be caught. So, one of the sorcerers decided it was time to leave the past and start a new future. He tipped off the battalion where his comrades were and they captured them while he escaped."

Takahime continued, "The six sorcerers were presented before trial and the Emperor sentenced them all to death. They were executed and were buried far away where no one would find them."

"Years later, they were found," said Shirokumahime. "By the one who betrayed them, Dai Shi-sama."

Ukitsu was surprised and take a few steps back.

"Dai Shi-sama was building his school and the only thing he needed now was students," Hebihime explained. "After finding the remains of his old friends, our master resurrected them and gives them new life. The one you mentioned was Manda. The others were Alako, Ranha, Varkaad, Hu, and…"

"Reedolph." The last part was said by Hyohime and she looked furious despite having a stoic look.

"I take it you're not an admirer of this 'Reedolph' fellow," inquired Ukitsu.

"Reedolph was a traitor," Shachihime hissed. "A disgrace to all RinJyuKen."

Shirokumahime carried on, "Unknown to Dai Shi-sama at the time, Reedolph still possessed his free will and independence. While Dai Shi-sama was planning for his conquest of China, Reedolph made plans of his own, to kill our master. He secretly restored his comrades' memories and they too were part of his plot. Then when they believed the opportunity was right, Reedolph and his followers launched their attack."

"It didn't happen to their favor obviously," said Shachihime. "Dai Shi-sama overpowered his assassins and brought them to their knees. It was supposed to end there but the traitors had one last trick up their sleeves and used it to escape."

"I see," Ukitsu understood. "But what stopped your master from tracking down and destroying these rogues?"

Before Shirokumahime could reply, Hebihime shouted, "No, he should not be told about it! Dai Shi-sama would not allow mere mortals to know of his secrets."

"Hebihime, the situation has changed," said the oldest of the Femme Fatales. "If Reedolph is still alive, then Dai Shi-sama's resurrection is at risk."

Hebihime heavily objected this and most likely the others agreed as well but for the sake of their master, they complied. With that, Shirokumahime resumed, "Prior to the assassination, Wendigo had taken a scroll from Dai Shi-sama's private quarters in the event his first attempt failed. That scroll lead to the secret location of Dai Shi-sama's vault. Inside the vault contained many of Dai Shi-sama's sacred treasures but the one that stood above them all was the Forge of the Underworld."

"The Forge of the Underworld?" Ukitsu asked curiously.

"The Forge of the Underworld was a mystical item of unimaginable power. It was the first to be imbued with unknown properties. The same properties that gave the Seal of Heaven life."

Ukitsu gasped. "You mean-"

"Yes," Shirokumahime confirmed Ukitsu's assumptions. "The Forge of the Underworld was the predecessor to the Seal of Heaven."

"How powerful is it?"

"Very powerful. It has all the abilities that the Seal of Heaven possesses. It can enhance an individual's abilities, grant them incredible power, and also open doors to other worlds."

"So, it's the Seal of Heaven's equal?"

"Not entirely, there were a few problems with it," the Rinrinshi grimly stated. "Very dangerous ones which was the reason Dai Shi-sama had it sealed."

Ukitsu put his fingers on his chin while Shirokumahime continued. "Now you know which is why I am giving you and your Armored War Devils a new mission. Find Reedolph and DESTROY HIM!

Ukitsu bowed before them and make his way to the exit. When he was gone, the Femme Fatales shared worried looks.

* * *

'_The Forge of the Underworld_,' thought Ukitsu. A power that rivaled the Seal of Heaven. He chuckled as it was something he would like to hear. Out of range from the RinJyuKen's castle, Ukitsu took out his orb which shone seconds later. Inside clouds were swirling until it showed a face. Wendigo's.

"_Like what you heard?_" said Wendigo.

Ukitsu replied, "Some parts were a little worrisome but I believed that we could work a way around them."

Wendigo grinned. "_So, do we have a deal_?"

"Yes, we have a deal," Ukitsu smiled. "My fellow Armored War Devils will assist you on your quest while I handle the RinJyuKen."

"_Excellent_," Wendigo said this before his face disappeared from the orb.

* * *

**World of Remnant**

Sitting on his throne, after finishing his deal with the Armored War Devils, Wendigo chuckled. "The time has come to show our true MIGHT!"

Wendigo turned his attention to his allies. Alako was there and so were his Rinrinshi and especially the horde of Grimm that were all over the throne room. "Go, and retrieve them!"

With that one command, both kaijin and beasts roared in unison.

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:**

**Akihisa Hideyoshi (AU counterpart of Akihisa Yoshii from **_**Baka and Test**_**): **Akihisa Hideyoshi is the biological father of Takada Hideyoshi. Although he was not considered the brightest bulb, which earned him a nickname based on some boss monster from a game franchise about a plumber, he at least was able to graduate before he got married. Akihisa does not have a stable job and takes up odd jobs from time to time, ranging from fisherman to stunt double. Although he gained a lot of experience from them and he later passed it on to his son, Takada. According to several of the neighbors, Takada has his father's honesty and kindness which is the reason Takada can put up with his best friend's antics.

**Mizuki Hideyoshi (AU counterpart of Mizuki Himeji from **_**Baka and Test**_**): **Mizuki Hideyoshi is the biological mother of Takada Hideyoshi. She was a peach color haired young woman with a high grade point average. She would have been given opportunity to go to any university and have a successful future either way if only she had stable health at the time. During an important test, Mizuki fell ill. But it was because of this, she met her future husband who came to her aid. Since that day, they fell in love and got married and Mizuki gave birth to her son, Takada. According to several of the neighbors, Takada has his mother's intelligence, which is why he makes a good strategist. Special fact is that while their son is away, Mizuki and Akihisa engaged in a little '_Adult_' playtime.

* * *

**GKoh:** New players have entered the game but now a larger plot has been revealed. Will our heroes light this darkest hour or will evil consume all and reign supreme? Find out soon.

That's all for now as I am going to take a break. Thank you all for taking the time in reading this fic and thank you to those who faved it. Merry Christmas everybody.


	11. Scavenger

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 7: Scavenger**

It was the day after, and Nagata had all of his officers, strategists and generals gathered at the Shoku Round Table to discuss their next course of action. Seated with them was their new visitor, Ruby Rose. She felt familiar with the meeting as she read a book about it back at Remnant when she was small.

"What is it so important Nagata-sama?" Ryuubi asked.

"Yesterday, while salvaging what remained of the storehouse, we managed to find this," said Nagata as he revealed the partially burnt book cover. "This was what the RinJyuKen were looking for."

Everyone but Ruby were startled. She inquired, "They were looking for a book? That doesn't sound like the kind of thing bad guys want."

"It all depends on what's inside the book Ruby," Nagata replied. It may not seem like much, but the book had shown him something. He placed the book cover on the table and then it shone. Everyone except Nagata were taken aback.

Then, the book released a golden light. What was even more surprising was that within the light laid the presence of a ghost of a man.

"A ghost!" shouted Bacho. Upon seeing the 'ghost', Kanu and Chouhi hugged together in fright.

"Greetings one chosen by the Golden Dragon. If you're reading this message, that means China is under threat once more," said the hologram.

"Chosen?" Kanu wondered.

"Who's that?" asked Ruby.

Komei gasped, finally recognizing the person within the light. "That's the Emperor!"

Many of the generals were surprised. In front of them was the Emperor who ruled China. The generals then bowed their heads in respect. Ruby looked and was confused by this. She shrugged it off and went with it.

"Hi Mr. Emperor!" Chouhi greeted cheerfully.

Kanu scolded, "Rinrin, that's rude."

"You don't need to do that," said Nagata. Everyone look to him who continued, "That's not the real Emperor."

Everyone were puzzled until Iori responded, "It's a hologram. Holograms are like messages but instead of using words the messages project images like this one."

"Settle down," Nagata said, telling them to keep the tone down. They needed to listen to this.

The hologram continued to speak, "To make you understand, I must go back to the time when it all happened. I once thought the Seal of Heaven was the only one of its kind, but I was terribly wrong."

Nagata felt that this was where the story would take a darker turn.

"That day, an unknown force was attacking my people. It left death and destruction in its wake. Then it came to my home. I don't know what it was, but the Seal of Heaven knew. It spoke its name: The Forge of the Underworld."

Those who listened to the Emperor's tale were then getting more interested and wanted to know more.

"There has always been a balance within our world: Good and Evil, Order and Chaos, Yin and Yang, Light and Darkness. Finally, the Seal of Heaven and the Forge of the Underworld," the hologram explained. "The two were equal in power. The Seal of Heaven battled its counterpart to almost a stalemate but miraculously pushed it back. Its form was divided into pieces. The Seal of Heaven could sense dark power within them. So, I took the remains and spread them all over our great land, hidden away from those who might abuse them."

As the Emperor said this, the book projected another hologram showing a sword. Everyone at the Round Table were shocked. They had never heard of any power that could equal that of the Seal of Heaven.

"However, in the event of someone seeking the pieces of the Forge for malicious reasons, I show you the locations of the remaining pieces so you may retrieve them and keep them out of the wrong hands." The Emperor showed writings of Asian origin to our heroes. "Be safe and good luck."

The hologram of the Emperor vanished, leaving everyone speechless. The writing was still displayed before them to look at.

"These look like coordinates," Iori noticed.

"I can decipher them," Komei said and Nagata nodded her to do so.

"Is something the matter Ruby-san?" asked Kanu.

Ruby replied, "Sorry, I kinda noticed something on the pommel. It looked like something else was part of it."

"I noticed too," Nagata agreed with the girl's statement. "It was that jewel back in your world."

"Of course, that's why it was familiar!" Ruby shouted. "I was fighting that Deer Grimm when I fell and I grabbed that jewel."

Iori looked worried. "You're saying that jewel is in Remnant?"

"Yes and that book had one as well. And now the Rinrinshi have two of them," Nagata said with a bitter tone. If he had known those artifacts were part of some doomsday weapon, he would have fought harder.

Komei explained, "If the RinJyuKen were to acquire those other pieces and bring them all together..."

"The ways they could use the Forge would be limitless," Iori finished.

Bacho shuddered. "Just thinking about it gives me the creeps."

"Which is why we need to act now," Nagata resolved. "We have to get those pieces before they do, for the sake of both worlds."

The Armored War Gods of Shoku and the Shoku Generals nodded to one another. It was time for action.

"So we'll split into two teams. Iori, you'll be leading one team while I be leading the other," Nagata recommended.

"And do we get to pick who we bring?" Iori asked.

"Yes, but make sure we balance out."

"I pick Shion to come with me," Iori said.

Kochu smiled. "I'll be happy to come with you, Airen."

"Hey, if I want anybody on my team, it would be you, Koi."

"Well, then I'll take Aisha," countered Nagata.

"An obvious choice," Iori teased.

"Hey, you get to take your wife! I should be able to take my girlfriend!"

Ruby jumped up and elected, "I'm all for it. I'm coming too."

However upon hearing this, Nagata responded hastily, "Um, maybe we should limit the people we bring."

After a short while, the teams were completed.

Team Gaim: Nagata (leader), Kanu, Chouhi and Chou'un.

Team Ryugen: Iori (leader), Kochu, Batai, and Bacho.

That meant Komei, Ryuubi, Gien, Chinkyuu and Ryofu would have to stay with Totaku and Kaku. Ruby would also be staying in Touka Village.

"Alright, we've got our teams," Nagata decided. He noted the looks of disappointment on Ryuubi and Ryofu's faces.

"Don't worry, Ren. I'll keep Nagata-sama safe," Kanu promised her friend. She wasn't blind to the growing affection Ryofu held towards Nagata. She couldn't fault the dark-skinned girl for falling in love with their lord. That just meant she had good taste. Plus, it was hard not to fall in love with Nagata. While he was strong, he never let that make him cruel. While he was kind, that didn't mean he was soft and weak.

He was the Messenger of Heaven, the man she swore to serve.

"Protect him." Ryofu made Kanu swear.

"Always," promised Kanu as they shook hands.

Nagata then announced, "Alright, let's get ready. We're going to need horses and supplies. So pack all the essentials."

Many of them left while some like Komei and Ruby stayed for a short while. Ruby was a little upset. Seconds later, she followed the Armored War God.

"Lord Gaim." Ruby approached the young man respectfully. Early during the meeting, she had witnessed how he took command. She also saw how seriously he took his responsibilities. This whole thing was huge. It was a mission to save two worlds. Ruby didn't want to be left behind, but she was his guest and needed his permission.

Nagata stopped to look at Ruby and replied, "Call me Nagata."

"Let me come too," Ruby offered.

"No," Nagata instantly refused.

"But I can fight," Ruby insisted.

Nagata placed a hand on Ruby's shoulder. "Ruby, listen to me. The enemies we're facing are unlike the creatures you've fought. You might be used to fighting these Creatures of Grimm, but we have experience fighting the RinJyuKen." Ruby frowned a bit while Nagata continued, "If you have any more information, go to Komei. She'll relay the message to us."

With that, Nagata left. As for Ruby, she raised an eyebrow. She wanted to help and Nagata should know that she could take care of herself. She needed to find a way to get on this mission and wasn't about to take 'no' for an answer.

Now, what could she do to sneak onto this mission? She tapped her finger against her chin as she came up with a plan.

* * *

Nagata continued walking and sighed before saying, "You can come out now."

Iori appeared out from behind a column and looked at Nagata. "Nagata, maybe you should let her come with you."

"It's too risky."

"She seems capable of taking care of herself. Rinrin's younger than she is and you're letting her go," Iori reasoned.

"Iori, this is my decision. She's not coming along and that's final," Nagata concluded before he walked away. As Iori watched him go, he shook his head.

* * *

Bringing all of the generals along was a huge security risk for the village. The soldiers needed someone who could lead them and if they brought the strongest fighters with them on this mission, the villagers wouldn't feel safe.

He looked to Ryofu who stared back at him pleadingly. He knew she wanted to go with him. She had sworn to be his bodyguard. However, he needed a few people to remain to keep the villagers safe.

"Gaim-sama..." Ryofu spoke softly.

Nagata looked at her and did the thing that always calmed her down.

He patted her head.

"Ren, I need you to stay and look after the villagers," he instructed her.

"But I want to help protect you," Ryofu insisted. Nagata smiled. She cared about him, that much was clear.

"I know, but I've got the others watching my back. This is important. I'm trusting you to do this for me," he replied.

Ryofu sighed. "Fine."

Nagata smiled and gently ran a hand through her hair, causing her to sigh contently.

* * *

"We have to go, Riri. Mommy and Daddy have a very important mission," Kochu told her daughter.

Riri looked sadly at her parents. She didn't want them to go but she knew she couldn't stop them. It was something important and her parents were heroes.

"Come back safe, OK?" Riri asked and Iori smiled as he scooped her up and gave her a hug. Kochu hugged her daughter as well. Oh, she wished she could stay longer, but they needed to prepare.

Iori already prepared a bag filled with Lockseeds, in case he needed to perform some additional Arm Changes. The Lockseeds could also be used to summon Inves in case they needed extra muscle. They may not have a huge arsenal of Lockvehicles like Son Go, but they still managed well enough. He at least had a handful of offensive Lockvehicles at his disposal, ready to be used at a moment's notice.

"Now, let's begin our quest and save the world," Iori said to his wife.

* * *

Chouhi was walking along the corridors, singing joyfully for the adventure that awaits. It's been a long time since she's been on a road trip. While she loved living in Touka Village, she loved going on adventures even more. It was never a boring moment when they went on a quest. They always met new people to befriend and beat up.

She stopped as she saw something and then smiled.

* * *

"Alright, we have food, first aid supplies and our camping gear," Nagata checked his mental list. "OK, I think we're good."

"Gaim-sama!" Komei called out. The young strategist walked up to him and showed her findings. "I've deciphered the first set of coordinates. One of the artifacts is located here."

Nagata looked at the map and where Komei had marked the coordinates. "Thanks, Shuri. This will come in handy." He asked, "What about the rest of the coordinates?"

"I'm halfway through the second set, Nagata-sama," Komei replied. "Once done, I'll hand it to Ryugen-sama."

Nagata nodded and turned to his team. "Alright. We have our mission. Let's move out."

The gates opened and Nagata and his team exited with those left behind waving to them to have a safe journey.

Iori stared at Nagata. He wanted to help his friend regarding Ruby. While Nagata tried to hide it, Iori could see the signs. However, they could talk about it later. It could wait..

Batai looked around and noticed something. "Hey, has anyone seen Ruby-san?"

* * *

As the group began their quest, Chouhi sang a nonsensical song to lift their spirits. It wasn't really one of her best, but her upbeat spirit was infectious. Nagata found himself humming along while Chou'un walked alongside him.

"We will have to make a few stops. It'll be dark soon so we'll need to set up camp," Nagata said.

Chou'un, smirking, immediately latched onto Nagata's right arm. She pulled his arm against her assets, causing him to blush at the close proximity.

"When night falls, you and I can get intimate in the bushes," she teased.

Kanu gritted her teeth while Nagata was nervously laughing. He needed a way out quick. He then saw Chouhi and realized something else. The young girl was carrying a cylinder shaped tube behind her back.

"Hey, Rinrin. What's with the big tube?" Nagata asked.

"Oh, the maids put it out. There's even a note."

Nagata read it and he was suspicious. The letter was written in English . Other than Nagata and Iori who took classes at schools of their world, none of the people in Shoku could read or write in English.

"Put the tube down," Nagata ordered and Chouhi complied.

Nagata walked up and looked at the tube and lifted the lid. Then Ruby popped out like a Jack in a Box.

"Thanks for opening that up! It was getting hard to breathe in there," said Ruby gratefully.

Nagata cried, "How did you even fit in _there_!?" He looked back and forth between her and the tube. She shouldn't be able to squeeze inside with her weapon. It was physically impossible.

"I used my Aura," Ruby winked. Aura was a wonderful thing. It allowed her to pretty much squeeze herself into a tight container.

* * *

**Later…**

Nagata was in his tent with Kanu and Chou'un. He did not look the least bit pleased.

"Nagata-sama, you need to calm down," Kanu advised.

"Yeah, if you get too stressed your hair will turn grey and fall out," Chou'un quipped.

Kanu glared, "Sei, now isn't the time for jokes."

"Who's joking?"

"I'm fine, you two," Nagata reassured them. "It's just I can't stand the fact that she disobeyed my orders."

"To be fair she isn't one of your officers or soldiers," Chou'un pointed. "She really has no obligation to follow your orders."

"Thanks for pointing that out, Sei," Nagata retorted sarcastically.

"It's already too late to send her back, and I doubt you want to send her back on her own," Kanu said.

* * *

The others looked at the tent where Nagata was in. Kanu and Chou'un were trying to calm their leader down. The man was a little miffled when Ruby tagged along.

"I've never seen Nagata-niichan make a face like that," Chouhi admitted.

"Why was he so upset with me?" Ruby asked. "I can help! I can fight! He lets you come along and you're younger than me!"

"That's because I'm strong," Chouhi declared proudly.

"And so am I! So what's the difference?" Ruby didn't understand.

Chouhi answered, "I think I know. I think Nagata-niichan wants you to go home safely to your friends."

"What?"

Chouhi explained, "If you came along, you could get hurt. Or even worse. Then you won't be able to go home."

Chouhi may not look like much but her time in battle gave her a clear idea of the consequences that came with it. Not a lot of people were fortunate to survive conflict and decisions must be made whether it was harsh or not.

"I can't just sit around and wait for the fight to come to me. As a Huntress, I expect these kind of situations," Ruby countered, "And I'll use whatever abilities I have to make sure everyone comes back unharmed."

Before the argument go further, Nagata, Kanu and Chou'un exited the tent at last. Ruby remained standing, waiting for the verdict.

"Okay, I've calmed down," Nagata said. Although he was taking deep breaths which suggested otherwise. "Ruby, you can come with us."

Ruby smiled until Nagata butted in, "However, you will follow my rules. Rule #1, you will stay very close to the group. Rule #2, don't stray from the group. Rule #3, when the enemy appears, you stay behind the group and you will fire your weapon."

"Roger," Ruby agreed.

"And take this," Nagata said as he handed Ruby one of his auxiliary Lockseeds. It was the Ichigo Lockseed. "Unlock it and a monster will appear to aid you. Just don't drop the lock."

"What happens if I do?" Ruby asked.

"Then we'll have another monster to deal with. I'd rather not have too much on my plate. You're already a handful."

* * *

It was now morning. After having their breakfast, the group continued on their quest. Ruby was now part of the team. However, while everyone else was okay with her presence, Nagata differed. The man was stoic during their trek and he maintained a close watch over Ruby, much to the redhead's discomfort. Ruby did recall Yang saying that despite her nerdish personality and deep passion for high tech weaponry, she was a cute girl and boys liked cute girls. The quote uneased the red hooded teen.

Thankfully, Kanu would intervene and persuade Nagata to leave Ruby to her own devices. However, it was a long discussion. Everything was okay for now.

"We are going on the adventure!" Ruby and Chouhi were singing along, merrily and happily.

Getting too involved in the song, Ruby went ahead and danced.

"Ruby..." Nagata was about to scold her until Kanu shushed him.

"You don't have to worry, she's not that far," Kanu added.

"You are acting like you're Ruby-dono's mother," Chou'un joked. That last part didn't sit well with the Armored War God.

"Look!" Ruby pointed up ahead. There was someone lying in the middle of the path. "He could be hurt! We need to help him!" Ruby ran up ahead.

Nagata, however, saw differently as he reached for his swords. "Ruby! Get back!"

"Huh?"

Suddenly, a gang of men jumped out of the tall grass and behind the trees in front of the group. Then, a gang of men came out of hiding behind them.

"Bandits!" Kanu hissed hatefully as she brandished her weapon. Chouhi also gripped her Viper Spear as Chou'un shouldered her Dragon Fang.

Ruby gasped as the man she wanted to help suddenly grabbed hold of her arm. She was then turned around as he held Ruby in front of him with a dagger pointed at her throat.

"Drop your weapons or I'll slit her damn throat!" the bandit demanded. Nagata gritted his teeth. If he was in his armor, these bandits would be no trouble. Even without his armor, he, along with Chou'un, Chouhi and Kanu could handle these bandits. However, the bandits now had a hostage as he saw Ruby being held against her will.

The sight of her, looking so helpless, caused his eyes to narrow.

Ruby, however, didn't seem afraid as she said, "Pee-yoo! When was the last time you had a bath?"

"Huh?" the bandit blinked and Ruby used this chance to get away. She reached behind herself and pushed the button on her Crescent Rose that would allow it to change shape. The scythe mecha-morphed from its gun mode and the bandit recoiled as the shaft hit him in the gut. Speeding away, Ruby rejoined her group as the bandits converged on them.

Nagata looked relieved, but then he knew what they had to do and he didn't want Ruby to see.

"Aisha, Sei, Rinrin, try not to kill them," Nagata ordered. They didn't question his orders.

"Hai, Gaim-sama!"

"OK, Onii-chan!"

The bandits charged towards Chouhi. The girl was more than a match as she plowed over them like a raging bull.

Two more struck at Kanu who parried every attack before she pushed them back and swung her Green Dragon Crescent Blade breaking the bandits' weapon and knocking them out in the process.

Chou'un dodged every last strike against her before she gotten close and hit the men's necks rendering them unconscious.

The man who tried to get up after being hit by that girl's scythe saw that Nagata was right in front of him. The man pulled out a knife but Nagata decked him in the face before he could use it.

The bandits were taken care of, completely knocked out by their teamwork. A few of them fled when they realized how outmatched they were. Nagata would need to report that they had bandits in this area. As for the bandits that they had knocked out, he needed to decide how to take care of them.

They were dangerous and had probably done this many times before. How many innocent people had fallen victim to these bandits? How many were robbed and killed? How many women had they kidnapped and raped? He couldn't let these bandits roam free, for the good of the people. He knew he had to make a decision.

"Aisha, Sei, do you two mind taking care of these bandits for us? We'll scout ahead," he told them. They noted the look in his eyes and understood.

* * *

Nagata, Ruby and Chouhi waited. Finally, Kanu and Chou'un returned.

"It's done," Kanu confirmed.

Nagata nodded and got back up. "Good, let's continue."

Ruby looked back. She was wondering what has happened. They fought the bandits but where are they now. Something was not right for her. She attempted to go back but a hand grabbed her arm.

"No," Nagata spoke strictly.

Ruby objected, "I want to know if those bandits are alright."

"They've been taken care of."

"How?"

"We cannot stop. The scope of this mission is too high. Our enemies maybe closer to their objective and-"

The boy refused to let her go back and the tone of his voice sounded serious. It didn't took long for the girl to realize what he really meant.

"You killed them." Ruby widened her eyes as she said this. Nagata in response closed his eyes further confirming her suspicions. "How could you kill them!?" Ruby cried.

"Nagata-sama's orders," Chou'un shrugged. "We're still within Shoku's borders so Nagata-sama's word is law."

"As a ruler, Nagata-sama has the right to pass judgment," Kanu explained.

"Those bandits couldn't be allowed to get away with their crimes and we could not afford to waste time," he told Ruby evenly.

"But you can't just play judge, jury and executioner!" Ruby argued. "They deserve a trial at least, don't they?"

"I don't play around, Ruby. This is serious business. I had to make a choice, no matter how horrible it might be."

"But-!"

"I don't enjoy it, Ruby. I really don't. But I have to do what I have to do to protect innocent people. I just make sure to remind myself why I'm doing it."

"How do you sleep at night?" Ruby questioned the young lord.

Nagata sadly spoke, "Look, I know you can't understand, but this is my job. I'm not a murderer. I'm a protector."

As the group continued on, Ruby watched them in disbelief. Ruby desired a world where its future had many happy endings, but here she saw acts of execution. While she may have read the history books about the conflicts that occurred before and her teammates' tales but it was still shocking.

But that wasn't the only reason she was reacting this way. When Nagata said what he did was for the greater good, an uneasy feeling arose for Ruby. She couldn't explain it. What was it?

* * *

**Meanwhile…**

Weiss was not having a very good time. Shortly after getting out of that cell, and having the mess cleaned from her skirt, she was conscripted , forcibly she might add, to a group who was led by the guy who had been treating her like dirt since they first met.

Since then, she was speaking out her frustrations, "Riding this horse is hard and the wind is blowing leaves into my hair."

And everyone were unfortunate to be within hearing distance.

Ukin sweatdropped, "She's really…"

"Spoiled," Riten filled in.

Mitsuki mumbled next, "Spoiled like Paris Hilton to be more accurate." Although, his lieutenants don't get the reference.

Members of the Crimson Guard were used to such conditions. Survival training was done so they could endure and survive in harsh conditions. Riding like this was like a walk in the park. The girl was probably used to riding in private jets or limousines. Riding on a horse just seemed so barbaric to her.

"Are you going to spend the entire trip whining the whole time?" Riten groaned.

"I believe my abilities can be put to better use elsewhere," Weiss huffed.

"Well, boo hoo!" Mitsuki mocked.

"I am the heiress of a vastly influential enterprise," Weiss boasted while the other just rolled their eyes.

"Hey, _heiress_," Gakushin spoke to Weiss. "Shut up!"

Two words that everyone agreed. Her status may have mattered in whatever world she came from, but right here and right now she was just a nobody.

Mitsuki looked up and felt relieved. "Finally, we're here."

This was the town. Quite large, filled with the good and the bad. It was the latter that the Crimson Guard were looking for.

Mitsuki turned to one of his lieutenants. "Mao, you'll look after that heiress and make sure she stays out of trouble."

Riten puffed her cheeks. "Do I have to?"

"Somebody has to."

Weiss butted in, "Why do you assume I'll get in trouble? Do I look like I have a target painted on my back?"

Mitsuki raised an eyebrow as if saying '_Seriously?_'

Weiss couldn't help but begrudgingly agreed. She gritted her teeth. "Fine."

Mitsuki looked to Riten apologetically. Spending time with the white-haired heiress would not be pleasant. She would need compensation for her work.

* * *

Unbeknownst to our other protagonists, a familiar bunch was present at a shop not too far away. It was the To Faction Trio: Ushio "Kurokage" Kenshin, Takada "Gridon" Hideyoshi, and Kayu (real name Miyabi).

"OK, so here's my plan," Hideyoshi started. "We're going to go and meet with Kosonsan and offer our services to her."

"So, we're just going to pledge our loyalty to another lord?" Kayu asked. She was still loyal to Totaku even if the girl was no longer nobility. It just felt so wrong to pledge their allegiance to someone else, even if they did need the money.

"Not exactly. We're mercenaries so she will have to pay us to work for her," Hideyoshi smiled.

"It's a good plan, buddy, but will she really pay us to work for her that much?" Kenshin asked.

"I managed to learn a few things while working with Ei. Kosonsan is a minor lord and is easily forgettable. She will do anything to earn herself some recognition," Hideyoshi told them. "Miyabi, you're a strong general, while Kenshin and I are Armored War Gods. Do you think she will resist an offer like _that_?"

"Definitely not," Kayu answered.

"Well, guess we should go up and meet her," Kenshin smiled.

"Well, if she doesn't accept, we could try Ensho or Enjutsu," suggested Hideyoshi.

"NO!" Kayu and Kenshin loudly protested. None of them wanted to work for Ensho, and they didn't want to have anything to do with her even worst and spoilt cousin Enjutsu. In fact, the En Faction was not an option. They didn't want to serve a bunch of idiots with power. Their talent would just be wasted.

"My thoughts exactly," Hideyoshi agreed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Riten and Weiss were walking around the town. The busty engineer got stuck with babysitting duty. She really wanted to go and join her general and her friends on their own assignment, but she needed to follow orders. She just wished that this would end soon.

Weiss observed the poor and dirty state of the streets and shops. "This place is a mess."

"This is how life is here," Riten said. "Not everyone has your fancy skyscrapers or those horseless carriages in Heaven."

"For the last time, it's not _Heaven_," Weiss pointed out and muttered, "Look, I actually don't think I can fit in with your group."

"We don't like it either, but those are Sousou-sama's order. So you're stuck with us and we're stuck with you," Riten replied.

"I don't even know what we're doing here," Weiss complained. "All I know was that we were riding horses and then came here for some reason."

Unfortunately, her questions were left unanswered as she noticed Riten was gone. She looked around and found her at a shop

"I'll take this one and this one. Ooh, this one's good." Riten drooled over some equipment and materials that was being sold at a shop nearby.

The sight of the hyperactive girl who fawned over machinery eerily reminded Weiss of Ruby. The girl facepalmed. "What did I do to deserve this?"

* * *

"Yes! Yes! Of course you can work for me! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Kosonsan accepted excitedly.

The To Trio managed to get an audience with Kosonsan. The minor lord welcomed them into her home. Hideyoshi did all the talking, proposing to Kosonsan if she would accept them as part of her forces.

As predicted, it didn't take much convincing as Kosonsan instantly accepted them. She really was starved for some recognition, as Hideyoshi knew she would be.

"Well, that was easy," Kenshin commented.

"And a bit sad. She's just so desperate," remarked Kayu. "I almost feel sorry for her."

"Well, we gotta earn money somehow."

"Thank you for accepting us, Kosonsan-sama. Now, here is what we'll need..." Hideyoshi began to negotiate.

* * *

The To Trio then left to perform their duties. While in town, they passed by the white-haired heiress who was walking around the marketplace. She had gotten tired of waiting for Riten to finish her 'shopping', so she decided to find something to occupy herself with.

Weiss strolled around the marketplace and at last, she saw what type of place she was really in. Looking around, she saw people who couldn't afford to wear nice clothes or any sort of luxury. Some walked away when one fell to the ground while others fought for a piece of bread.

For her entire life, she lived in a big fancy mansion where servants were at her command. She could get anything she wanted most of the time. But here, none of these people were that fortunate. They had to work hours away from their families to earn a living.

Truly, she was living in a time where poverty was widespread.

"Let go!" Weiss heard a shout. She turned to see a small girl whose arm was grabbed by a bulky fruit vendor.

"You must pay now!" demanded the fruit vendor.

"No!"

"So, you're a thief!" The fruit vendor shouted, "Thief! There is a thief here!"

Weiss looked to all present but as she had observed, they kept their mouths shut and moved on. Appalled, the young white-haired woman took action. For some reason, she stared at the fruit the child was holding.

She came and took the fruit out of her hands.

"This apple looks exquisite," Weiss commented. "Luscious red. Good."

"Who are you? Are you with this thief?" demanded the vendor.

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not."

"Do you have money?"

"No."

"Then move away child," snarled the fruit vendor.

Weiss politely replied, "But I do have an eye for quality."

"So?"

Weiss continued, "This looks like a nice apple, but it has marks that really resemble wax." The last word shook the seller and Weiss continued, "From what I can see, I deduced that your apples were not up to par with usual standards, probably because of worms that had burrowed inside and since you were too cheap, you decided it was best to mask these fruits' true appearance and hoped no one would notice. Imagine what would happened if word gets out." Weiss shifted her eyes to the people around who were curious about the conversation.

"Hold on." The vendor took out a bag of copper coins. "Here, take this."

Weiss took it and the vendor let the child go and left. After that, Weiss handed the young child the bag of money. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Nee-san," the young girl smiled. Weiss watched the girl go and noticed she was joining up with a couple of other kids. Weiss presumed they must be the small girl's friends. Looking at them, she frowned.

"There you are." Weiss turned around and saw Riten with a bag full of junk strapped behind her back. "Baron-sama's got a lead. We gotta go."

"Tell me, Riten. Is poverty really a problem here?" asked Weiss.

"A lot of places suffer because the lords are corrupt or just don't have enough money to go around. They try to help everyone, but really there's not a lot they can do. They can only do all they can to help everyone within their power. The only way you can have a good life here is that you got talent and catch the eye of a very powerful and influential lord," Riten explained.

"And Sousou appreciates talent," Weiss concluded.

"Yeah. Sawa, Nagi and I wanted to work for Sousou-sama. We ended up working for Baron-sama instead," Riten replied.

"What's it like working for him?" Weiss asked. She didn't have a very good opinion of the man, but she wanted to know how he had such loyal subordinates.

"It's been great! He lets me design and build weapons! He also trains with Sawa and Nagi! He lets Nagi trains the soldiers and even helps Sawa with her confidence issues," Riten said positively.

"Sounds like you respect him."

"Damn right I do! Plus it doesn't hurt that he's such a hunk! Someday I want to have his babies!"

"Wait, _what_?"

* * *

**Let's go back to our heroes who are on their quest...**

There was tension between Ruby and Nagata. The red-hooded girl was obviously still disturbed by Nagata's willingness to kill the bandits. While she could understand his reasoning, she didn't agree with him. Those men were still people and deserved a fair trial. Couldn't they have sent a messenger to call for someone to pick them up? She just thought that executing them on the spot was barbaric.

Nagata had long accepted that his methods would seem abhorrent towards the girl. It was why he didn't want her innocence to be tainted. Killing monsters was different from killing people. Monsters were soulless, monsters did not have feelings, and monsters didn't deserve anything but death. However, Nagata had seen monsters in human form and had dealt with them the only way he could. The only way he learnt in this era.

Neither of them exchanged any words as Ruby kept her distance. She conversed with Chouhi, even singing songs with her to lift their spirits. However, that didn't stop her from looking at Nagata's back. She also looked at Kanu and Chou'un who willingly followed his orders. They were born in this world, but Nagata claimed he was born in a modern more civilized one. So, had he been here so long that he adapted and just went along with the ways were?

From Chouhi's accounts, Nagata would often cook for them. He and his vassals would share a meal together, exchanging pleasant conversation. She even told him how he would gather the children and tell them amazing stories of the other 'Armored War Gods'. He even played with them when he wasn't busy with training or his work as governor.

There were two sides to him, so Ruby was trying to figure it out.

"Alright, we're here," Nagata said as they finally reached their destination based on their coordinates. Normally, it would've taken them several days to arrive. Fortunately, thanks to Lockvehicles, they managed to significantly cut down that time. They were working on a deadline after all.

Once they arrived, they took in the sights and they were not at all pleasant.

The swamp was foul and disgusting, and the smell of rotten flesh permeated in the air. Rinrin pinched her nose and said what everyone was thinking, "This place is stinky."

"Yeah, something must have died here," Chou'un remarked.

"I think you're right!" Everyone looked to Kanu who stared at something not far from here.

The group converged on it and gasped. A vast area was littered with bodies. They weren't human bodies though. These bodies were beastly, black as the darkness itself, with bone plating on their bodies. Their bodies dissolved slowly as black dust rose into the air.

"Grimm," Ruby muttered. The small girl knew these monsters well. She encountered many like them even when she was small.

"What's that?" Chouhi pointed. There were another type of corpses among the dead Grimm. Unlike the Grimm, these giants had a more brownish green wooden appearance. They had branches on top of their heads and they had holes on the front that were formed to look like eyes.

"It looks like a tree," Ruby said, "but it has arms and legs." As the Huntress in training said, these other monsters had long but powerful arms with sharp branches acting as fingers and their feet were thick.

Kanu theorized, "The Emperor did say he kept the pieces of the Forge far away so that no one would ever use it. So, do you think it's possible he left guards to defend it."

Suddenly, they heard a loud rumble. Nagata and his group heard more of the rumbling along with crashing noises and roars.

"Let's move people," Nagata ordered.

* * *

Not far from the Shoku adventurers, the RinJyuKen splinter group, the Grimm Claw and the Armored War Devils were going up against the monstrous tree beasts.

After learning about the Forge of the Underworld and its capabilities, Ukitsu, met secretly with the leader of the Grimm Claw. He agreed to form an alliance with them to gather the pieces of the Forge. .

Wendigo had two pieces of the Forge in his possession, along with knowledge on how it operated. Once he managed to locate another piece, he sent one of his subordinates to retrieve it, along with two of Ukitsu's men. However, obstacles stood in the way, standing between them and their treasure. The tree beasts were the guardians of the Forge fragment they sought and weren't going to give it up without a fight.

An Ursa rushed towards its foe but a Guardian Tree shot out of its wooden appendages and impaled the beast through the mouth and out the other end. It then bashed the bear-like beast to the ground, shattering its body with heavy impacts.

Sigurd retaliated by firing arrows from his Sonic Arrow, pushing the the Guardian Tree back, burning its wooden hide . Kagemusha was also not standing far away as he repeatedly used his Sonic Arrow's blades to hack away at the Guardian Trees.

Another one of the Guardian Trees smashed a Beowolf's head to the ground before another Beowolf latched onto one of the Guardian Trees' arm and took a bite out of it. The Guardian Tree removed the Beowolf from its arm before snapping its neck and dropping it on the ground. It then stomped on the Beowolf repeatedly, crushing it into paste.

Alako grappled with a Guardian Tree. It looked like an even match until Alako overcame his opponent's strength and snapped the Guardian Beast's arms. It roared before the Koala Rinrinshi clawed its body, shredding away parts of it.

"The Forge is within reach," Alako said as he tightened his fists.

"Hold tight." Sigurd grabbed the back of his companions' heads and zoomed pass the Guardian Trees who were too preoccupied with the vicious Creatures of Grimm to notice.

In an instant, the three villains arrived at the entrance. Alako and Kagemusha tried to regain their balance after recovering from such a speedy jolt.

"Warn me next time you do something like that, damn you," growled Kagemusha as the dizziness faded.

"Quit complaining. We have a job to do," Sigurd shot back.

Alako and his allies stared down the empty hallway. He felt that something was off about it, like a trap was waiting for him. Not willing to risk his own safety, he called out to one of his companions, "Kagemusha, you will take the lead."

"That's what I like to hear. Haha!" the Armored War Devil cheered and rushed into the temple.

When Kagemusha was out of range, Sigurd looked to Alako. "If you don't mind me asking, why him?"

Alako respectfully answered, "Because the first step in dealing with booby traps…"

**WHAM!**

"GAH!" Kagemusha yelled as a hidden column dropped right from the ceiling to land on top of him. It crushed him before returning back to its original position, leaving the Armored War Devil in serious pain.

"Send the boob in first." With that, Sigurd nodded in agreement. "Now we need to tread carefully and let him trip all the traps for us."

"Got it. Oi, Kagemusha! Get back up! There's no time to lie around!" Sigurd shouted.

* * *

After traversing through mud and trees, the Armored War God of the Ultimate Sword and his team of adventurers arrived at their destination. All they needed to do was follow the path of destruction. The dead Grimm and Guardian Trees made a pretty clear trail for them to follow.

"There's the temple!" shouted Nagata. The temple was dull in color as cold stones were used as part of its construction. Symbols of the Emperor were marked on various places of the temple.

"It's huge." Chouhi was amazed at the sheer size of what stood in front of her.

"Nagata-sama, look!" Kanu drew her comrades' attention and all saw the battle. The Guardian Trees were fighting off the Grimm, but the dark beasts were relentless and the Guardian Trees' numbers were whittling down to nothing.

"A fight!" Chouhi eagerly wanted to join in.

"Nagata-sama, it looks like those tree creatures are in trouble," Chou'un said. "Should we help them?"

Nagata looked at the Guardian Trees. Their mission was still important, but these Guardian Trees were in trouble. From what he knew, these Grimm were pure evil.

"Move out, girls! We're protecting those living trees! Nagata ordered. Ruby smiled at this and nodded.

"Yes, Nagata-sama!" shouted Chou'un and Kanu.

"You got it, Onii-chan!" added Chouhi.

They charged into the fray, with Nagata leading them as he transformed, "Henshin!"

"**ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!"**Once he was clad in armor, Gaim blasted two Beowolves using his Musou Saber. At the same time, Ruby dashed in and decapitated several of the Grimm's heads. They collapsed to the ground as their heads rolled away.

Chou'un landed on top of an Ursa's back and stabbed it repeatedly with her Dragon Fang spear. She found the soft part and kept hacking away. The Ursa roared and bucked around to get the blue haired woman off its back. However, Chou'un held on stubbornly and continued to strike until the Ursa could not move. It fell, dead, and she dismounted.

Nearby, a Beowolf lunged at Chouhi who managed to catch it before she threw it against a tree. Stunned, the Beowolf was unable to dodge the Viper Spear as it pierced through its sharp flesh. Withdrawing her weapon, the Tiny Tiger General then stabbed another Beowolf before she moved on to slay more of the monsters for her big brother and sister.

Not far, Kanu slashed another Beowolf as an Ursa lunged towards her. Ruby aided Kanu, arriving just in time, to blast it with Crescent Rose. As it was stunned, Kanu used this chance to decapitate the creature with her Green Dragon Crescent Blade. Scanning the area for more prey, Ruby spotted the Rinrinshi she saw back in Remnant. Unlike the Rinrinshi that resembled a Beowolf, this one had the features of an Ursa.

The Ursa Rinrinshi reared back and fired projections of the bear monsters themselves. The energy Ursa soared through the air, heading straight for Ruby. Quickly, the Huntress-in-training ducked, causing the projection to sail overhead. It exploded against the ground, kicking up dirt, rock and dust.

Ruby pressed back away until she was near a Guardian Tree. The Guardian Tree was grappling with a Beowolf, when it noticed the young Huntress. It gave a dark glare and raised its foot to squash her. Ruby, realizing that the Guardian Tree saw her as an enemy, jumped out of the way. The Guardian Trees soon took notice of the new arrivals. Gaim had a very bad feeling about this as the Guardian Trees marched towards them. He was proven right as the Guardian Trees roared and charged towards him with surprising speed despite their huge size. The closest one balled its hand into a fist and brought it down on Gaim. Fortunately, he managed to dodge it before he got squished.

"Wait, we're not your enemies!" Gaim shouted. The Guardian Tree ignored him and swung at him again. Gaim had to duck and roll to avoid the blow. "Damn, they won't listen!"

Ruby saw this and said, "They're coming after us?"

"These guys must be protecting the artifact from intruders, including us," Gaim said before ducking under another attack. He blasted the Guardian Trees with his Musou Saber but they still kept coming. With the adventurers' attention now focused on the Guardian Trees, an Ursa grabbed Gaim and pulled him into a crushing bearhug. It squeezed him tight in order to suffocate him and break his spike. Gaim struggled in the creature's grasp, but it was too strong. Fortunately, he managed to reach and pull out a Lockseed in order to activate it.

"Hands off!" shouted Gaim.

"**PINE!"**

The Pine Armor Part descended from a Helheim portal. Spinning around, it then bashed itself against the Ursa's face, repeatedly, forcing it to release Gaim. Landing on his knees, Gaim switched Lockseeds and changed his armor.

"**PINE ARMS! FUNSAI DESTROY!"**

The bright light blinded the creature, causing it to stagger back. Regaining momentum, Gaim swung his Pine Iron and sent considerable damage to the Ursa Rinrinshi. Two Beowolf Rinrinshi attempted to intervene, but Gaim swung his Pine Iron at the ground, creating a shockwave that sent the two Kaijin flying into the air.

Kanu delivered slashes one of the Guardian Trees in the leg. It fell and Chouhi used the opportunity to tackle it and send it flying.

Ruby twirled around leaving body parts of her enemies lying everywhere. They stood no chance against her speed or Crescent Rose.

A Guardian Tree roared before slamming its fist into the ground. Gaim and his allies felt a tremor.

"EVERYONE, MOVE!" Gaim shouted.

They got out of the way just in time before wooden spikes burst right out of the ground, killing even more of the Grimm. A Guardian Tree went up to Gaim and threw a punch, but he evaded the blow before he swung his Pine Iron and shattered the creature's arms to splinters.

Gaim grimaced as two more Guardian Trees appeared before him and they morphed their hands into bludgeons.

Chou'un avoided another attack from below but one of the spikes hit her leg and she fell. The Guardian Tree approached but Kanu stepped in to defend her comrade.

Gaim was thrown to the ground and kicked by a Guardian Tree. He managed to recover and rise to his feet before throwing the Pine Iron at the Guardian Tree's head. It fell but then an Ursa replaced it to attack Gaim.

Ruby looked at the temple and looked around. Everyone else was too preoccupied against so many enemies. Ruby realized the Grimm and the zombies were just a distraction. Those who led them here were already inside the temple. She had to stop them.

"Ruby, don't-!" Gaim shouted but Ruby did not listen as she zoomed into the temple by herself. "RUBY!" Gaim kicked an Ursa away. "I'm going after Ruby! Everyone, keep fighting!"

* * *

**BOOM!**

Blasting the doors open, the three members of the evil alliance arrived at their destination.

"You could've warned me about that pool of acid," Kagemusha snarled as he was trying to wipe off the acid that was attempting to eat away at his armor.

"If we did, you wouldn't charge in the first place," Sigurd remarked, earning Kagemusha's scowl.

Alako stared as he saw another piece of the Forge. The artifact resided in the middle of the room and somehow, it floated above the floor. The piece was long, shiny and sharp as it was a blade. What's most intriguing about it was that the upper portion of the blade was curved.

Alako stepped towards it. He slowly reached to it when all of sudden, he sensed something.

Multiple blasts hit the group. The blasts were fired in succession causing explosions to erupt all around them. As the smoke disappeared, the three turned to their attacker.

It was a girl in a red cloak and good, holding a massive mechanical scythe.

"I'm giving you this warning, leave now," Ruby said. She twirled her Crescent Rose scythe around and slammed it to the floor as a showing of her power.

Alako snarled as he remembered how troublesome the girl and her friends were.

"Kagemusha, Sigurd, you take care of her," he ordered.

"Seriously, you want us to fight this little girl?" Kagemusha scoffed.

"She's more trouble than she seems," Alako informed them.

"Well, if she's trouble then we should take care of her," remarked Sigurd. Kagemusha shrugged and followed his fellow Rider to confront the young Huntress. As the two of them distracted Ruby, Alako attempted to reach for the blade and grab it. However, when he tried, a surge of electricity zapped his hand, causing him to recoil.

"Damn it!" Alako cursed.

Kagemusha was the first to attack as he stepped forward and darted towards Ruby. He swung his Sonic Arrow to slash at her, but she dashed away in a burst of rose petals.

"What the-?" Kagemusha was stunned by the girl's speed before she slashed him in the side. He actually felt that despite his armor protecting him, proving that the girl was dangerous and would give them trouble. Snarling, Kagemusha retaliated but Ruby dodged the strike again.

Sigurd observed as Kagemusha tried to strike Ruby down, but the girl evaded his blows with ease.

"She's fast," Sigurd commented as Ruby readied her scythe to attack him next, "like me."

Sigurd parried the attack and punched Ruby in the face. She felt the blow, but her Aura protected her as she skidded across the floor but stopped herself before she zoomed towards Sigurd.

"GOTCHA!" she yelled as she prepared to slash, only to miss. Sigurd had dodged, but he did not merely sidestep. He just sped away, just like her. "What!?" She gasped as she saw Sigurd speeding towards her. She leapt out of the way but was struck as an energy arrow hit her in the shoulder, sending her tumbling. She rolled along the floor and grunted.

Kagemusha yelled, his Sonic Arrow levelled at Ruby, "I have you in my sights, you little brat!"

Ruby got back up and ran as Kagemusha fired. She was surprised once again as the arrows followed her. Having no other choice, she spun and deflected the energy arrows with Crescent Rose. Sigurd intercepted her and slashed her in the back, throwing her painfully to the ground.

Sigurd picked Ruby up by her cloak and tossed her up to the air to give Kagemusha his target. Grinning, Kagemusha aimed and prepared to shoot. Seeing this, Ruby quickly converted her scythe back to rifle mode and fired in retaliation. Their shots collided with each other and exploded, creating a massive flash of blinding light.

Ruby landed on her feet, Crescent Rose back in scythe mode, and zoomed towards Sigurd. The two them clashed, running all over the place. However, Ruby realized that the odds were against her. She couldn't maintain her speed for very long and her Aura was beginning to weaken. She was in a dangerous position. Not only did her opponent have access to super speed, he was a skilled martial artist. This could be a challenge for her. Fortunately, Ruby was known for her ingenuity. Getting some distance, she readied the item Nagata had given her...

...Only to have it shot out of her hand by Kagemusha.

"Gotcha, girly!" grinned Kagemusha as he aimed high and fired repeatedly. All of a sudden, energy arrows rained down all around them. Alako took cover as the arrows rained down while Ruby was trying to dodge them.

Eventually, the arrows managed to land on their intended target. The energized projectiles hit Ruby all over and she screamed as she was knocked to the ground, painfully. She looked up and saw Kagemusha walking towards her. He knelt down and picked her up by her hood

"Shame I have to kill you." Kagemusha brandished his weapon. "You're pretty cute and got a lot of spitfire in you. You would've been a lot of fun in my bed."

"Gross!" Ruby spat in Kagemusha face. He glared and stood up before aiming his Sonic Arrow at her. She squeezed her eyes tight, ready to accept her end.

"I'm sorry..." she whispered. Her last thoughts were of her family, and Zwei, and her team, and how she would not be coming home.

"**JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!"**

**KLANG!**

Upon hearing that chant and clang, Ruby opened her eyes and saw the bladed bow that was about to finish her off was blocked by another bow belonging to the Ultimate Sword.

Gaim roared as he pushed back Ruby's attacker. He didn't give time for Kagemusha to retaliate as he charged in and delivered a series of deep and painful strikes across the Armored War Devil's chest. The slashes sent Kagemusha reeling in pain before Gaim knocked him backwards with a kick.

"Don't you touch her!" roared Gaim. His voice was different. Usually, it was calm and stern, but now it was filled with anger and hatred. Alako finally got through and grabbed the blade. It had been challenge, but he finally got his hands on the treasure. Now it was time they left. He looked back at the fight to see the Ultimate Sword had arrived. Sigurd and Kagemusha looked ready to fight, but they had no time for that. No reason to.

"Saji! Shishi! It's time we go!" Alako shouted. Sigurd and Kagemusha got the signal and nodded.

"See you later, Gaim," said Sigurd as he picked up Kagemusha and sped towards Alako who had just opened a portal for them. They went in as Gaim went to stop them. He jumped for the portal, but he was too late as it vanished and he landed on the floor. Picking himself up, he turned to look at Ruby who could not meet his gaze.

Ruby apologized, "I'm sorry."

Gaim took a deep breath and thought for a while before he told her, "Let's...let's just get out of here."

Ruby watched as Gaim left. She hung her head in shame and disappointment. Not only did the bad guys get away, but they got away with another piece of the Forge.

* * *

"I didn't realize how poor the people were here," said Weiss as she walked alongside Riten. In fact, Weiss rarely ever saw the poor. Her home in Atlas was in the rich part of town while the less wealthy were placed in designated areas. Atlas had a reputation of being one of the most technologically advanced kingdoms in Remnant. It wouldn't do well for their image if they were out in the open, to be seen, to stain their immaculate 'utopia'.

Riten sighed. "Nothing's ever the same ever since the Emperor passed away." Indeed, ever since the death of the Emperor, crime and corruption has escalated, with the innocent being caught in the crossfire. Officials getting fat from the high taxes they charge and desperate people turning into bandits to survive and becoming cruel as a result. The arrival of the Armored War Gods was truly a godsend. Despite a few setbacks, efforts were being made to improve everyone's life. Hopefully, the land would return to its former glory, and maybe even become better than before.

"Anyway, what were you asking?" asked Riten.

"Why are we doing here?" asked Weiss.

Riten finally told Weiss the story, "Well before you arrived, there were rumors that the Imperial government was corrupt, rumors that were confirmed to be true, and its officials were abusing their power to satisfy their greed. We and many others fortunately put a stop to this, but several of them managed to escape."

Weiss frowned at that. It wasn't unheard of for officials and politicians to be corrupted. Power and money could easily corrupt anyone who didn't have a strong will to resist. It was the same anywhere.

Riten continued, "We received word that one of the members of the Imperial Court was hiding here."

They arrived at their destination. It was a house. Oddly enough, Riten did not see her commanding officer or her friends, "I don't see the others or Baron-sama anywhere."

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard followed by a pig squeal. A boar of black and red was sent hurtling towards a cart of hay. It was no normal boar, however. Weiss recognized it and drew Myrtenaster. It was a Grimm, a species known as a Boarbatusk. It looked like a big and black wild boar, but it had red eyes and bone white plating that formed a mask over its face. The Boarbatusk appeared to be dead as it started to dissolve.

Seeing it, Riten and Weiss rushed towards the source. hey found Baron and several Crimson Guardsmen in a pinch They were facing a herd of Boarbatusks. Baron stood in front of his Crimson Guard, holding his own against one of the Boarbatusks, gripping his Banaspear threateningly to defend himself from the Boarbatusk's vicious attack.

"Boarbatusks? You never said that the Grimm were here," Weiss exclaimed, receiving a stare from Riten. "What?" Weiss asked.

The Boarbatusk charged forward and slammed into Baron. It managed to knock him down, but the Armored War God used his superior strength to kick the monstrous pig off of him. Climbing back to his feet, he began to strike with his Banaspear, causing it to squeal wildly. Unwilling to stand on the sidelines and watch, Weiss activated a Glyph which swiftly propelled her towards the horde of Grimm.

While Baron was busy dealing damage to one of the Grimm, a Boarbatusk was trying to attack him from behind. However, it was stopped in its tracks as it was suddenly enveloped in ice. Baron spun around and spotted Weiss standing next to the frozen Grimm.

Weiss looked to the armored knight for approval but received instead, "What took you so long?"

Weiss felt offended and sarcastically replied, "You're welcome."

"What happened?" asked Riten.

Baron filled in, "We found a lead on our suspect, so we came here. We managed to corner him until we got attacked by these warthogs."

"Is he still here?" Weiss asked to be sure.

Baron glared at Weiss for a while before paying attention to Riten, upsetting Weiss even more. "We got distracted and he used it as the opportunity to escape."

"Well, he couldn't have gotten far," Riten pointed out. "We'll just have to find a trail and track him down."

"We may have another issue to deal with," Baron replied. "Those creatures showed up just as we managed to find our target."

"You think they were targeting him?"

"That can't be." Weiss entered the conversation. "Grimm don't have the intelligence to plan anything. They only attack humans on sight."

Baron finally paid attention to her. "Well your Grimm seem hell bent on snuffing this guy out for some reason."

Ukin stepped forward and said, "Baron-sama, I think we might have another problem?"

"What kind of problem?" he asked.

"A big problem," Gakushin added as she handed Baron a telescope and pointed in a direction. "It's over there, sir." Baron looked through the telescope, put it down, blinked, then looked through it again.

"That is one _huge _scorpion," he remarked.

* * *

Meanwhile, while Baron and his Crimson Guard were about to get themselves neck deep in trouble, our opportunistic To Trio were celebrating their new employment.

Kampai!" Hideyoshi, Kayu and Kenshin raised their cups before drinking their tea.

Kayu, Kenshin and Hideyoshi were hanging out at a teahouse. While traveling had been quite hard on them, they were finally able to make ends meet. In fact, they managed to get themselves contracted to Kosonsan.

It was surprisingly easy. Kosonsan was a minor lord and while she was known as the White Stallion General, she was very plain and quite forgettable. Even Ryuubi made more of an impression than her. If she didn't say anything, nobody would notice her presence at all. It was quite a depressing feeling.

That was a fact that the trio took advantage of. They knew she was desperate for recognition and so did not think twice about hiring the three to become part of her group. Though, it was only a temporary arrangement. They only did it to get a roof over their heads, good food, and not needing to camp out anymore. Kenshin kept complaining about sleeping in the forest since he didn't want to be around monkeys.

Hideyoshi agreed. He did not want to sleep in a bug-infested forest either.

"Now this is the life," Kayu grinned.

"No more staying at inns under a budget and no more camping with the monkeys!" cheered Kenshin. They all had to share a room at inns, sleeping in the same bed. It got awkward.

"You really need to get over your monkey issues," Hideyoshi told his friend.

"Oh, I will! I'll murder every single monkey I see!" swore Kenshin.

Hideyoshi sweatdropped, "Not the solution that I had in mind..."

"Why are you so scared of monkeys?" Kayu asked.

"I had a bad experience with one when I was a kid," he answered. "Since then I hated those furry freaks."

As the three were enjoying themselves with their downtime, a commotion was heard nearby.

"STOP, THIEF!"

"What the hell?" Kenshin asked as Hideyoshi and Kayu stood up.

"Sounds like we got a job to do," Kayu said. Finally, some action.

"Come on, let's see what's going on," Hideyoshi prompted.

"OK, fine." Kenshin slurped up his tea and left the money on the table before he followed his two friends out. They spotted the city's guards chasing after a blond youth in an open white shirt and blue shorts. The boy then leapt up onto the rooftop and continued to flee. "I'm guessing that's the thief."

"Come on, Kenshin. Since Kosonsan is paying us, we might as well do our job," spoke Hideyoshi as he strapped on his Sengoku Driver.

Sun was fleeing along the rooftops. Once he knew he had lost the guards, he sat down to enjoy what he had stolen.

"Geez, all I did was steal a couple of buns. No need to get so worked up over it," Sun muttered. He was hungry and didn't have any money. What was a guy to do? He was about to take a bite when a huge shadow was cast above him. Looking up, Sun's eyes widened at the sight of a green flying machine. A figure jumped down and landed in front of Sun, causing the blond Faunus to leap to his feet. He was facing a soldier clad in black armor with a yellow visor. Around his waist was a black, hi-tech belt buckle with a yellow belt strap and some kind of weird, lock-like device in front of the buckle. In his hands was a spear.

"Give yourself up, kid," Kurokage commanded. "You're surrounded."

Sun looked at the buns in his hands and frowned. "OK, but before you take me in, do you mind letting me eat?" Sun asked but he got his answer as Kurokage thrust his Kagematsu at him. Sun quickly performed a jump and backflip to dodge. "Whoa, easy! You're gonna poke someone's eye out with that!"

"That's the idea, punk!" Kurokage charged forward. Sun sighed and put his buns away so he could withdraw his signature weapon, the gunchucks called Ruyi Bang and Jingu Bang. As Kurokage charged forward to land a strike, Sun swung his gunchucks and deflected Kurokage's spear before landing a shot to his chest. Kurokage grunted but recovered as he and Sun battled it out. The swings of his Kagematsu were deflected by Sun who grinned.

However, Sun was so focused that he forgot about Gridon who landed behind the blond Faunus.

"**YOROI MODE!"**

"What the-!?" Sun yelped as Gridon grabbed Sun tightly in his Suika Arms' hand.

"Gotcha!" Gridon cheered. "Thanks for the distraction, Kenshin."

"No problem, buddy," saluted Kurokage. "Now, let's take this guy to the guards."

"Hey, wait! Come on! A guy needs to eat!" Sun shouted.

"Tell that to the magistrate, punk," Kurokage bopped Sun's head.

"Damn, first I wake up in a weird place and now I've been caught by a giant robot," Sun muttered.

* * *

"So, you managed to catch him," Kayu smiled as Gridon was still holding Sun. She then blinked. "Is that a tail?" Sun had his golden tail wrapped around his buns.

"Wait, what?" Kurokage looked at Sun and saw a tail, a _monkey's _tail. He recoiled. "Argh! Monkey!" He pointed his Kagematsu spear in Sun's face while backing away in fear.

"What's with him?" Sun asked casually, gesturing towards Kurokage who seemed to be trying to ward him off with his spear.

"None of your business," Gridon shot back.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" a stampede of citizens screamed as they ran past the To Trio. Kayu, Kurokage and Gridon watched in both shock and confusion as the stampede rushed past them.

"Where are they running off to?" Gridon asked.

"Maybe there's a sale," Sun suggested jokingly.

"Shut up."

"What do you think scared them?" said Kayu.

"Maybe they're scared of the Abominable Monkey Man," Kurokage pointed accusingly.

"Or maybe they're running from that Death Stalker that's headed our way," Sun sighed.

"A Death-what?" Sun pointed and Kurokage , Kenshin and Kayu gasped. Heading towards them was a scorpion. Usually small but this one was gigantic. It had a black exoskeleton, with wicked claws, a golden stinger at the end of its tail, and bone plating on its carapace.

"Kurokage!" Gridon called out.

"On it," Kurokage complied. "Scorpions I can deal with."

"Miyabi, hold him for us," Gridon let go of the thief and stood with Kurokage, before the two charged towards the giant arachnid.

"**GYRO MODE!"** Taking off, Gridon unleashed a barrage of bullets from above upon the Death Stalker, It flinched but the barrage was not enough to halt it.

Kurokage rushed in and swung his spear on the scorpion's face. The Death Stalker brought its stinger down to impale him, Kurokage jumped away as Gridon continued pelting the monster.

The Death Stalker growled. It went to Kurokage and grabbed him in its massive claw.

"Let him go!" Gridon flew to aid his friend. The Death Stalker complied and threw Kurokage towards Gridon. The sheer force sent them both falling back to the ground.

Recovering, Kurokage witnessed something that shocked him. A giant bird with a long neck and black feathers. The bird fled in fright at the sight of him.

"See," Kurokage pointed, "I told you there was an ostrich!"

Gridon shook his head but he had not enough time when the Death Stalker grabbed the arm of his mecha suit. It lifted him up and smashed him to the floor.

Gridon groaned in pain as the Death Stalker was about to finish him off. That was when help finally arrived . Baron appeared and he hit the scorpion's appendage. The pain caused the scorpion to let its opponent go.

"Baron?" Gridon said. "What are you doin-"

Baron did not reply. Instead, he continued to provoke the scorpion with his Banaspear until it finally decided to focus on him. With that, Baron drew the Death Stalker away.

"Quite the conversationalist," Sun remarked as he arrived along with Kayu who then aided her comrades.

* * *

Despite the Death Stalker's size, Baron remained brave. He had faced tougher, scarier odds before.

Knight and Beast clashed violently, monstrous claws crashing against a Spear of Victory. Sparks flew with each loud impact. The Death Stalker hissed and shoved Baron back with a swipe of his claw before it tried to impale him on its stinger. Baron deflected the stinger before he jumped back to avoid it again.

The Death Stalker moved forward to close the gap between it and its prey. As it came forward, Baron took out his Rose Attacker Lockvehicle and activated it.

"That's right! Come and get me you stupid animal!" he taunted as he mounted his bike and rode off. The Death Stalker picked up speed as it chased after Baron. Looking at the rearview mirror, Baron saw the Death Stalker trying to grab him. Using his riding skills, he dodged the swipes with impressive ease. It was just too bad that he didn't have any long-ranged weapons, forcing him to work with only what he had.

Baron maneuvered and navigated his way through the empty streets and alleys, pursued by the Death Stalker. Nothing could stop it. Any obstacle in its way, be it buildings or walls, it just smashed through in pursuit of its target. The many innocent bystanders who saw the beast fled in panic, wanting to avoid the creature. A man selling cabbages screamed as the Death Stalker ran right through its shop and destroyed his entire inventory.

"MY CABBAGES!"

Baron cautiously checked his rearview mirrors and then looked over his shoulder. The Death Stalker was still chasing him, proving that it was relentless.

Good.

He needed it to keep chasing him as his plan was being put into motion.

Looking up ahead, Baron spotted the Crimson Guard already done with theirs as they piled up bags filled with explosive black powder. When they saw Baron, they also saw the Death Stalker, and immediately got out of the way. They might be brave, but they were certainly not foolish.

At the last minute, Baron leapt off his bike which slammed into the bags of black powder. The Death Stalker also rammed head first into the pile of bags, scattering them around it. Baron rolled to a stop by the archers who were already aiming their bows and arrows at the beast.

Baron ordered, "Light 'em up!"

Gakushin shouted, "Archers, fire!"

The archers shot flaming arrows, hitting the black powder bags. The fire spread all over the bags and also over Baron's Rose Attacker. He closed his eyes as he would mourn its destruction. It had been his most trusted steed.

**BOOM!**

The Death Stalker screeched as the bags exploded right in its face. The Rose Attacker also exploded, hitting it with shrapnel. While the strategy did not cause it any significant damage, it was enough to disorient the beast as it staggered on it legs.

"Don't let up! Continue to fire!" Baron shouted and his men fired more of their arrows. They loaded the arrows onto their bows and lit them up with torches before letting them fly. The Death Stalker shrieked and turns its gaze onto the archers. It started to march forward, only for ice to suddenly creep up its leg and freezing them solid, putting a stop to it.

Weiss smiled as she stood next to Baron, holding her Myrtenaster towards the Death Stalker.

"That should help," she stated.

"Hmph," Baron responded rudely, much to her annoyance. Honestly, he was impressed. He just didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing.

Baron unlocked another Lockseed and loaded it into his Sengoku Driver, replacing his Banana Lockseed.

"**MANGO! LOCK ON! COME ON! MANGO ARMS! FIGHT OF HAMMER!"**

The Death Stalker saw Baron and saw an opportunity to attack. It swung its tail at him, but he casually bashed it away with a violent swing of his Mango Punisher. This broke some of the creature's armor. In fact, he actually managed to remove the stinger with his Mango Punisher, causing it to shriek. In retaliation, it struck with its claws, sending him flying. Struggling within its icy confines, it broke free and charged towards the soldiers who fired at it.

"No!" Weiss stepped in front of it and unleashed a massive Glyph to shield the soldiers. They gasped at the sight.

Baron recovered and returned to the fight. He leapt into the air and bashed his Mango Punisher down upon the Death Stalker's head, stunning it. Angrily, it smacked Baron away and also smacked him with its tail. Despite the loss of its stinger, the tail gave it an extra appendage to deal damage and Baron had to deal with its claws as well.

Weiss looked around. This, this was just insane! There was no way they could defeat the Death Stalker right now. The only thing they could do was evacuate this place and then retreat and regroup. She looked to Baron who was still fighting against the beast.

"We need to retreat! There's no way we can fight a Grimm like that by ourselves!" Weiss yelled.

The Death Stalker sent Baron sprawling near Weiss. Their eyes met and he narrowed them angrily. He had heard her yell and that just made him madder.

"Don't..." Baron growled as he stood up. "DON'T GIVE ME ORDERS!" he roared as he switched belts. He then charged at the Death Stalker as his Banana Arms armor vanished, leaving him in his Pre-Arms suit.

"ARE YOU INSANE!?" Weiss shrieked.

Baron took out his Lemon Energy Lockseed, unlocked it, and loaded it into the Genesis Driver.

"_**LEMON ENERGY! LOCK ON!"**_

"RAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Baron roared as he hit the Seaboll Compressor.

"_**SODA! LEMON ENERGY ARMS!"**_Weiss witnessed as a metal lemon fell from the portal and opened up before dropping on Baron, donning him in a new set of yellow armor. _**"FIGHT, POWER! FIGHT, POWER! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FI-FI-FI-FIGHT!"**_

The Death Stalker swung a claw at Baron. He leapt into the air, and began to flip. He aimed his Sonic Arrow downwards and fired several shots before landing feet first on its back.

"Time to die you filthy animal," growled Baron as he loaded his Mango Lockseed into his Sonic Arrow.

"_**LOCK ON! MANGO CHARGE!"**_

He pushed in his Seaboll Compressor and aimed skywards.

"_**LEMON ENERGY SQUASH!"**_

Charging his Sonic Arrow and pulling on the shaft to stretch the string, he let go a single energy arrow into the sky. It then exploded, blooming into a shower of light. This shower turned out to be scores and scores of energy facsimiles of his Mango Punisher as they rained down on the Death Stalker. Baron didn't even bother getting off as the energy barrage smashed down on the Death Stalker, like an angry meteor storm. They trailed yellow as they fell from the Heavens before exploding violently on the back of the Death Stalker, breaking more and more chunks out of its armored body. It shrieked as it tried to get away, also trying to throw Baron off.

"He's insane. He's absolutely insane," muttered Weiss. Why was it that every person she knew who wore red was insane?

The Death Stalker was able to throw Baron off. He landed on his back but continued to fire. The Death Stalker brought its claw down but he rolled out of the way. It charged at him again, swinging its claws, but he deflected the strikes with his Sonic Arrow. The Death Stalker backed away but then it brought its tail down to strike. However, a red Glyph appeared and repelled the attack. Baron turned to see Weiss standing behind him, with her Myrtenaster pointing forward.

"I didn't need your help," he told her.

"Hey, I just saved your life and-Don't ignore me!" Weiss shouted as Baron went to engage the Death Stalker again. "Red people are insane!" She rotated the Myrtenaster's chamber to the purple setting and dashed towards the Death Stalker. As Baron continued fire energy arrows, she jumped and struck the Death Stalker several times. Baron growled but allowed her to attack as long as she didn't interfere. He then pressed on his belt's Seaboll Compressor.

"_**LEMON ENERGY SQUASH!"**_

Energy gathered in the blade of the Sonic Arrow and he swung, sending a wave that repelled the Death Stalker and sent it skidding a few dozen feet away from them. He then unlocked his Banana Lockseed and locked it into his Sonic Arrow.

"Stay back," Baron instructed as he pulled his Sonic Arrow's shaft before firing a charged up energy bolt at the ground in front of the Death Stalker.

"_**BANANA CHARGE!"**_

"You missed!" accused Weiss.

"Wait for it," he said and all of a sudden multiple giant banana projections shot out of the ground and pierced the Death Stalker, immobilizing it.

"Oh," was Weiss' only response as Baron executed his finisher.

"_**LEMON ENERGY SPARKING!"**_

Baron leapt into the air and launched himself at the Death Stalker to perform a flying kick. Lemon slices made of energy appeared and lined up in a path between him and his target. He flew through them, gaining power, before smashing through the Death Stalker. Weiss watched as the creature was destroyed in an explosion.

As for Baron, he coolly walked away from said explosion, not caring to look back at all.

"Baron-sama!" Gakushin called as they saw him approach and gathered around him. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Nagi," Mitsuki huffed as his armor vanished once he removed his belt. "It's nothing I couldn't handle."

"You really killed it," Ukin admired.

"Heh, was there any doubt? He's our leader. No giant bug is a match for him," Riten grinned proudly.

Mitsuki frowned as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Karin's going to be expecting a report on this. Paperwork, my least favorite part of the job."

"Your orders, sir?" Gakushin asked.

"Gather the injured and get them medical attention," Mitsuki instructed. "I got a report to write about this incident." He gave Weiss a look. "I'll mention your contribution as well. Looks like you're not as useless as you look after all."

Weiss put her hands on her hips before raising a finger to point at him, "You are insane! You willingly endangered yourself to injure the Death Stalker, ignored my warning, and caused all this destruction!"

Baron looked at all the damage around them and shrugged, "Collateral damage."

"Oi, Baron!" Kenshin stomped over to Mitsuki. Following him were Hideyoshi and Kayu.

"What do you want? I'm busy." Mitsuki glared. He had no time to deal with an idiot, his nerd friend, or even their companion.

Kenshin then said, "What's going on? What were those things? Rejects from a scary monster movie?"

"They're called Grimm," Sun, who was still the trio's prisoner said.

"Like we believe words from a thief," Hideyoshi logically explained.

Mitsuki paid attention when one of them said Grimm since Weiss mentioned them by name, identifying them.

"Who is he?" Mitsuki then saw the tail. "_What_ is he?"

Before they could discuss about the Faunus any further, Weiss and Sun finally noticed each other.

"AAAAHHHH!" Weiss and Sun yelled as they pointed at one another.

"You...the ruffian who was littering the streets with those banana peels!"

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bio:**

**Tsukune Hattori (AU counterpart of Tsukune Aono from **_**Rosario Vampire**_**):** Tsukune Hattori is the biological father of Haru Hattori. His grandfather was a professional boxer named Mr. Sanjou. When Tsukune was young, he always listened to his grandfather who told him of his tales as a professional boxer. Tsukune noted that Haru had his blue eyes. He was once a meek and small young man until he met his wife, Moka. They had a teacher and student relationship until they fell in love and got married. Before going to work, Haru or Moka make sure to advise him to hide the hickeys on his neck.

**Moka Hattori (AU counterpart of Moka Akashiya from **_**Rosario Vampire**_**):** Moka Hattori is the biological mother of Haru Hattori. Her grandfather was a professional kickboxer named Count Kivat who once lived in Europe before moving to Japan and started a family there. He and Mr. Sanjou were once rivals until they settle their differences and became brothers when their grandchildren married.

* * *

**GKoh:** Hey fellow readers, I'm back and giving another dose of Hunt of the Armored War Gods. This is proof that I'm still here. However, I might be gone for another long while but I'll return and complete this story. With that, please read, review and enjoy.


	12. Divide

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 8: Divide**

It was a rather morose day for the group that was heading back to Touka Village. Leading the way was Nagata. In the back of the group was Ruby who only had Chouhi as company as she walked beside her. Chou'un and Kanu were in the middle, filling up the space between Nagata and Ruby while keeping them apart.

The Black-Haired Bandit Hunter glanced at Ruby. The red-hooded girl was especially upset after the failed mission. She felt responsible for them losing a piece of the Forge to the enemy.

The mission had been a failure and the piece of the Forge had now fallen into enemy hands. Ruby had nearly gotten herself killed as well. Fortunately, Nagata managed to get to her in time in order to save her, but it had cost them the piece of the Forge. After making sure she was alright, Nagata started giving her the cold shoulder.

Nagata hadn't spoken to her since they started heading back to Touka Village. It was a bit depressing and Ruby felt that he was mad at her.

"I really messed up, didn't I?" Ruby asked. Nagata had given her the cold shoulder the entire trip back. She might be naive, socially awkward, and sometimes ignorant of social cues, but even she could tell when someone was upset with her.

"Nagata-niichan might be mad right now, but he'll be OK later," Chouhi said, comforted her. She wanted to make her new friend feel better.

"But the bad guys have the piece of the Forge now. It's all my fault," Ruby said gloomily.

"Well, it could've been worse," Chou'un remarked encouragingly. "We all managed to survive, so I consider that a win."

"But we won't be celebrating for long if our enemies get all the pieces of the Forge," Kanu countered. "Let's just hope the other team has much better luck in locating and securing their piece."

Ruby looked up ahead at Nagata's back as he led them back home. She wanted to apologize-to somehow make it up to him, but right now he couldn't even look at her. This situation reminded her of the first time she met Weiss and she wondered how her BFF was doing.

* * *

Speaking of Weiss, the heiress was still stuck with Mitsuki and his Crimson Guard. Only this time she was now looking at a familiar face, the last face she expected to see in this place.

Weiss looked furious.

Sun looked nervous.

And the rest were looking at the pair with various degrees of curious interest.

"Where is Blake?" Weiss demanded. "Tell me where she is or so help me I will strike you where you stand!"

"Hey, easy there, Ice Queen." Sun tried to soothe the Schnee heiress only to annoy her further with the nickname. "I don't know where Blake is."

"Don't you lie to me!"

"I'm not, and why do you care? I mean, I thought you hated Blake."

Weiss lowered her rapier and looked down.

"So I'm guessing you both know each other," Hideyoshi observed.

"Another displaced?" Mitsuki asked.

"And apparently not of our world," Hideyoshi confirmed.

"Caught this sucker stealing food." Kenshin pointed at Sun.

Weiss rolled her eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" The monkey Faunus was a stowaway, so of course he would be a thief as well. No respect and total disregard for the law like the White Fang.

"Hey, I was hungry, plus nobody here takes Lien," Sun defended.

Mitsuki noticed the extra appendage. "Is that a _tail_?"

"_Yaoguai_!" the natives shouted and stepped back from Sun as they raised their weapons. Of course they would think Sun was some kind of yaoguai (demon). He had a monkey's tail.

"I already have two problems to deal with. I'm not in the mood to deal with three." The annoyed Mitsuki rubbed his temple until he was calm enough to shift his attention towards Hideyoshi and Kenshin. "You two, take him somewhere where he won't cause any trouble."

"Got it, _boss_," Kenshin reluctantly complied. He wondered, why was he taking crap from Mitsuki? Still, with no reason to argue, he and his buddy started to take Sun away from the scene.

"Now that that's settled, I have some questions for _you_." Mitsuki focused on Weiss.

"Me?" Weiss questioned.

"I've been thinking. You know a lot about these creatures and that's pretty suspicious. You've either encountered them before, or you brought them with you." Mitsuki's words were quickly spread to his men as they readied their swords to behead the Schnee heiress.

Weiss, while stunned by the accusation, maintained her composure.

"I swear I have no idea how the Grimm came to be here," she told him honestly. Mitsuki wasn't buying it, so she continued to argue her defense, "Look, I had no idea what we were doing here until Riten told me herself. And that wasn't very long ago. So, how could I have sent those beasts when I just learned about this mission?"

"You could've set things up." He maintained his stance. The two stared each other down. Weiss was using her patented 'Schnee-glare' while Mitsuki glared daggers into her. There was a thick tension between them as both sides weren't going to simply back down.

Finally, Mitsuki considered the logic in her words. Begrudgingly, he gestured for his men to lower their swords.

"Lower your weapons," he ordered and the Crimson Guard complied. Weiss let out a sigh of relief, but her troubles were nowhere over as he added, with a tone that left no room for argument, "However, you're still sticking close to me so I can keep an eye on you. Is that clear?"

"Clear," Weiss gritted out. She would much rather be anywhere but near this thug of a general, but what could she do? She was all alone in a strange place.

The tension dissipated a bit when Ukin arrived. She had something to report. She paused as she saw both Mitsuki and Weiss glaring at each other before she made her presence known.

"Baron-sama, I've received some intel," said Ukin.

"What did you find out?" Mitsuki asked his bespectacled lieutenant.

"I've talked with the people that live around here. According to several witnesses, they saw our target making frequent visits to the local Entertainment District," Ukin reported.

"Anywhere specific?" he prodded.

"We don't have that information, but I found out that he has a place that he stays here that's close to the Entertainment District. We might find our target there."

"Good. We're moving out," Mitsuki ordered. The men lined up and marched behind Mitsuki as they followed. Weiss followed them to their next destination, arms crossed and utterly annoyed by the lack of trust she was getting from the Crimson Enforcer. Now he would be keeping a closer eye on her. She really didn't like him. Not one bit.

* * *

Following Ukin's directions, they found the building that their target was staying at.

Weiss was waiting outside a building with Riten, while the Crimson Guard had also set up a perimeter around the house to prevent anyone from escaping. They kept watch for anything suspicious.

After dealing with the Death Stalker, Mitsuki had gone in to find their target. When nobody answered the door, they broke the door down and entered to search the place. There didn't seem to be anyone in the house, but this was the only lead they had right now. As he went inside, he was followed by Gakushin who would be assisting him with the search.

Leave no stone unturned. They needed to search this place from top to bottom. Maybe their target found out they were coming and had hidden themselves.

Inside the house, Mitsuki and Gakushin stood in front of the study room. The door was closed. Mitsuki tried to open the door, but found it to be locked. A locked door. Probably hiding something. He huffed in annoyance and stepped back to kick it down.

"Allow me, Baron-sama," Gakushin offered as she got into a stance. She then let out a yell as she kicked the door down. The wooden beam that was used to barricade the door snapped in half as the double door swung open, giving them access.

"Thank you, Nagi," said Mitsuki and Gakushin bowed, hiding her blush as he showed his appreciation. He scanned the study room to see where their target was hiding. He noticed that the desk had a long tablecloth draped over it that reached the ground. Walking over to it, Mitsuki pulled the tablecloth away to reveal a man hiding under the desk.

It wasn't their target. He wasn't the official they were looking for. However, since he was here, he might be able to help lead them right to their target.

"Gotcha." Mitsuki reached down and grabbed the man by the scruff of his shirt as he tried to flee. He yelled as he flailed around, trying to break out of Mitsuki's grip.

"Baron-sama, it appears he's resisting arrest," Gakushin observed. "What should we do with him?"

Mitsuki eyed the window and quipped, "Let's give this guy a bit of fresh air."

Meanwhile, Weiss was checking out her Scroll and swiping through the pictures. She stopped at a picture of Team RWBY. Ruby had insisted they take a group picture. In it, Ruby was in the center with Weiss standing to her left and Blake to her right. Yang was behind her sister making peace signs with her hands. Ruby had her arms around the shoulders of her best friends with Weiss looking both annoyed and uncomfortable. Blake offered a small smile. Despite being introverted, Blake didn't hesitate to join in on any of their activities.

"Hey, what's that?" Riten's eyes widened as she saw the Scroll. She had never seen anything quite like it. Seeing the look in Riten's eyes, Weiss grimaced and put it away. Before Riten could ask further, a crash was heard and they watched a man was thrown out a window.

"What's going on!?" Weiss demanded.

Riten smirked. "That, Weiss-dono, is our beloved Baron-sama delivering righteous justice upon criminal scum." Her expression turned serious as she warned, "And please don't call him crazy or I will be forced to smack you."

The man, groaned as he got up. He tried to flee but his path was barred by the Crimson Guard. Turning around, he saw Mitsuki and Gakushin exit. He began to sweat and pale in fear as he looked at the man who had just thrown him out of his own home like a piece of garbage.

At the sight of Mitsuki coming towards him, with a glare that could pierce armor, the man tried to flee. He didn't care if the Crimson Guard tried to stop him. He needed to get away!

"Get out of my way! Out of my way! That maniac is trying to kill me!" he pleaded as he tried to slip past the Crimson Guard, but he failed to get very far as Mitsuki once again grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt and spun him around. Mitsuki then gripped his collar and pulled him close so they could look at each other, eye-to-eye. The man was trembling in fear as Mitsuki glowered at him.

"I've had a really long day and I really hope you don't make this any harder than it has to be. You just need to answer one simple question," Mitsuki threatened. "Where is he?"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about!" the man responded frantically. From the look on his face, Mitsuki didn't like the answer. He looked around for something he could use and spotted a wooden basin used to store water for the horses to drink. Mitsuki proceeded to drag him over towards it, forcing the man to walk.

"Where is he?" Mitsuki repeated. "And don't lie to me."

"I told you I don't know! Please, let me go!" the man begged. Mitsuki grabbed the back of the man's head and forced him to his knees before dunking his head into the basin. The man struggled as his head was held underwater, causing the water to splash. After a few more seconds, Mitsuki lifted the man up from the water. He gasped for air.

"Where is he?" Mitsuki asked again. When he didn't receive an answer, he once again dunked the man's head into water.

Weiss couldn't stand by and watch this continue and stepped forward to object, "That's enough! You can't do this to him! This is barbaric!"

Mitsuki lifted the man's head up from the water. He was gasping for air and didn't look like he could put up much of a fight anymore.

"You may not like it, Princess, but for these kind of things you're going to have to do anything you can to make people talk," Mitsuki shot back. He asked the man again, "Now, don't make me ask you again. Where. Is. He?"

"ALRIGHT! ALRIGHT! I'LL TALK! PLEASE, DON'T KILL ME!" the man shouted. He didn't want to be dunked underwater again.

Mitsuki smirked as he pointed a dagger up to the man's throat, the point held dangerously close.

"Good, but try not to lie to me. You won't like what happens if you do," Mitsuki threatened. "Do we understand each other?"

"Yes...yes I'll tell you...everything..." the man sobbed.

"Pathetic," Mitsuki scowled in disgust before he handed the man over to Gakushin. "Detain him and make sure he doesn't get away. I still have questions for him."

"Yes, Baron-sama," Gakushin obeyed as she led the man away. The man was happy to comply as long as he could get as far away from Mitsuki as possible.

"Crimson Guard, I want you all to search the place. Ukin, I want you to head in to lead the investigation and find clues," Mitsuki ordered. "Take anything that might be of value."

"Yes, Baron-sama," Ukin bowed and led several Crimson Guard inside to search the building.

"You're looting the place now?" Weiss demanded, disgusted. Were the Crimson Guard supposed to be police? Then they were the most barbaric example of law enforcement she had the misfortune of witnessing.

"You have a problem with how I operate?" Mitsuki glared at the heiress.

"You're acting like a thug," she pointed out.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, Princess," Mitsuki spat. "But we're here to do a job and we're given permission to do whatever it takes to accomplish our mission."

"But this is just going too far! You were going to kill that poor man!"

"Like I said, whatever it takes to accomplish our mission."

Weiss was disturbed and outright appalled by Mitsuki's way of thinking. She couldn't let this go.

"So, you don't care who you trample, even families?"

"You don't know the meaning of family!" Mitsuki rebutted.

"How dare you!? My family has suffered too! Not only have we endured years of violent protests, many that I cared about have vanished without a trace!"

If Weiss thought she could win Mitsuki's sympathy like that, then she was wrong.

"Yet, while you 'suffer', you still live a life full of luxury, living in a castle with servants at your beck and call. Yes, my heart bleeds for you," he retorted. "Not everyone is lucky enough to be born with money and privilege. Some of us have learned from a young age that life just isn't fair. For most of us, it's a fight just to survive. I learnt a long time ago that when the world pushes you down that you have only two choices: you can either lie down and take it or push right back! I decided to be in the latter category! That's the only way you can survive in this cruel world! And that is something you will never know anything about!"

Weiss shot back, "Why are you treating me like this? I haven't done anything to you!"

"Your kind did."

"My 'kind'?"

"The rich and powerful, the privileged and entitled. You're just like them. You're so damn arrogant that you think you can take everything from those who can't even afford a single loaf of bread. People like you just step on people beneath you, without a second thought. People in the lower classes are just used by you as tools and stepping stones, only to be tossed away and forgotten. I may not have known those who hurt you, but when I look at you, I can understand that their actions are justified."

"Justified?" she repeated. She was visibly shaking in his presence now. There was a fire of anger burning behind his eyes that she couldn't match. She tried to put on a brave face but failed as Mitsuki stared her down.

"Do you understand why you can never be a leader? It's because you fail to inspire people. When people look at you, they see an outsider who doesn't understand one bit of the struggle they have to go through. When people lose everything, they look for a purpose. They look to someone who can understand them and to give them a purpose. My men, my soldiers, they understand what it means to lose everything or to have nothing at all. And I understand it just as well."

The Crimson Guard were made up of men who didn't have anything left to lose. They were men who would die for him, who would fight at his command, simply because he would lead them on the frontlines instead of hiding and commanding from behind. That was the bond of men.

"And don't even try to compare yourself to Sousou. Everything she gained, everything she earned, she fought for with her own hands. She fought, and struggled, with blood, sweat and tears. Now, you can stay out here. I have someone to question," said Mitsuki as he left in a huff, leaving Weiss alone with her thoughts.

This wasn't her world, so the rules were different. However, there were just so many similarities. People still suffered, and while she maintained that she had suffered losses as well, she still lived a luxurious house in a mansion, with servants to do everything for her. So, she just stood there and watched as the Crimson Guard did their job, following an atrocious man who was a better leader than she could ever be.

She had to wonder, though, what did Mitsuki lose to make him this way?

* * *

After they finished questioning the man, who was apparently their target's manservant, they learnt that the official was staying at an inn. It wasn't the type of inn for travelers who were on a budget. Rather, it was a very high class establishment with colorful decorations and a very warm and inviting atmosphere. Of course, that was just for appearances.

The inn also doubled as a brothel. Pretty girls in revealing outfits attracted and greeted patrons. Like flies to honey, men hovered around before they entered. He could tell who were newbies and who were regulars based on body language alone.

"So, is this the place, Baron-sama?" Riten asked.

"According to the guy I questioned," Mitsuki nodded.

"You broke his fingers," Weiss frowned in disapproval.

"At least I didn't try to snap his neck," Mitsuki shrugged. "Come on, let's head inside. You too, Princess."

"I can't go into a brothel!" Weiss cried.

"Fine, then stay out here and out of trouble. Mao, looks like you have to babysit her again," Mitsuki instructed. "Sawa, Nagi, you're with me."

Nearby, a pair of eyes glowed in the darkness. The owner of those eyes has gotten word of its master's success. It concluded that inevitably, the mission would succeed. However, in the event that there would be some holes in the plot, it planned.

The former official was staying on the third floor in one of the VIP rooms. He was already enjoying himself as he had paid for two girls to entertain him. The girls were already in their underwear and were having a pillow fight as he watched while sitting on the bed. He applauded as the girls slammed their pillows into each other, enjoying the sight. Soon, the girls would entertain him some more while in bed.

He could not wait.

There was a knock at the door and the official frowned. "I'm busy! Do not disturb!" The knocking continued. "I said I'm busy! Go away!"

Seconds later, the door fell to pieces. Standing in the doorway was Ukin with her swords drawn. The girls shrieked and got onto the bed, hiding behind their client whose eyes widened in shock and fear as he saw the leader of the Crimson Guard. He recognized him as Sousou's Crimson Enforcer, Armored War God Baron of the Ultimate Spear.

"You..." the official trembled. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

"Well, if it isn't the douche from Rakuyo," Mitsuki identified. "Nagi, please read the order."

Gakushin unrolled the scroll and read, "By official royal order of Sousou Motoku, from the Kingdom of Sou Gi, you are placed under arrest for corruption, conspiracy to overthrow the government, kidnapping and slave trading."

"And those are the charges we have so far. Who knows what else we'll find down the road," said Mitsuki as he stepped forward. "So, give me a good reason why I don't just kill you right now."

"You can't just kill him!" Weiss objected.

Mitsuki turned and saw Weiss with her Myrtenaster pointed at him.

"Wasn't Mao supposed to be watching you?" he asked.

Outside, Riten was frozen from the waist down and couldn't move. "Damn it! Now I really want to see how that weapon works!"

Weiss answered, "That's not important. Right now I'm stopping you from doing what you're about to do. Whatever this man has done, he deserves a trial."

Mitsuki glowered but couldn't disagree. True, the man did deserve a trial, but Mitsuki just didn't feel like it. However, his job was to arrest the man. It would be up to Sousou to decide what to do with him.

"Sousou will kill me! Please, think of my children!" the official begged.

"You don't have any children," Mitsuki retorted. He had read up on this guy. He may have been married but he never had any children. Either his wife was unable to conceive or the man was just impotent. It didn't matter to him anyway.

"What if I offered you information?" the man asked.

"What kind of information?" Mitsuki questioned, curious.

"Promise me that Sousou won't have me killed," the man begged.

"Fine, whatever." Mitsuki rolled his eyes. "OK, then talk."

"It's information about the RinJyuKen. They came to me to find out about it," the official answered.

"What?"

"An artifact of some kind, something which has existed since the first dynasty. They forced me to tell them its location. I don't know if they've already found it or not, but it's very likely that they've been trying to silence me with their horrid beasts."

"They could've killed you on the spot if they didn't want you to talk." Mitsuki's eyes narrowed in suspicion before they widened in realization. "This is a trap!"

As soon as he said that, the shadows around them moved on their own and converged with one another. The shadows formed a terrifying shape that didn't go unnoticed by our heroes. Weiss and Mitsuki were about to retaliate when it lunged right at them.

* * *

Komei waited at the gate of Touka Village for her friends. When one of the soldiers reported them heading this way, the young strategist was quick to rush over to the gate to greet them. Perhaps they had been successful. If they were, there was a reason to celebrate. They were facing a threat, but if they were successful, then it wouldn't be long until they were victorious.

Komei waited and waited, and finally spotted them arriving. She saw Nagata leading the group and beamed as they came towards the gate.

"Nagata-sama, everyone, you're back!" Komei greeted. "How did the mission go?"

"Take a guess," Nagata replied sharply, causing Ruby to flinch. He said nothing else as he walked past his strategist. Taking note of his attitude and the expressions of disappointment on the rest of the team, Komei figured it out.

"You failed the mission," Komei stated.

"Yeah, and it's my fault," Ruby confessed.

"Nobody's blaming you, Ruby-dono," assured Kanu.

"But..." Nagata had not spoken to her during the whole way back.

"Onii-chan will calm down. You'll see," insisted Chouhi.

Now Komei wanted details. "So, what exactly happen?"

"We'll tell you about it later. So, did anything new happen while we were gone?" Chou'un asked.

"Funny you should mention that," answered Komei. "We have a new guest."

* * *

Meanwhile, Nagata was getting changed. After a quick bath and a change of clothes, Nagata was refreshed. However, the disappointment and guilt he felt still hung heavily over her.

"She could've been killed..." he whispered. "Just like...Okaasan..." There was a knock at the door. "Come in."

The door opened and Totaku stepped inside. She bowed. "Gaim-sama."

"Hey, Yue. So, is there something you need?" he asked.

"Everyone's gathered down in the dining room. We have another guest for you to meet," Totaku answered.

"A guest?" he asked curiously. Maybe a new guest could help him get his mind off their failure of a mission. He really shouldn't dwell on it, but he couldn't help it. A lot could've gone wrong.

* * *

Ruby entered the dining room and found someone she didn't think she would ever see again. Scarfing down a bowl of noodles was her big sister, Yang. The blonde brawler put down the bowl and let out a satisfied belch.

"Oh, man! That's good!"

Yang looked up and saw Ruby who just stood there.

"Ruby!" Yang yelled as she ran over to her baby sister.

"Oh my gosh! Yang!" Ruby flung herself towards her big sister, capturing her in a hug. Yang caught her, nearly losing her balance, and hugged her back.

"Ruby!"

"Yang!"

"Ruby, I've been so worried about you!" Yang cried happily. "I thought I would never see you again!"

"I thought I would never see _you _again!" Ruby returned.

"Well, glad to see you're OK," Yang smiled.

"You know I can take care of myself, Yang," Ruby told her sister pointedly.

"I know, but I'm your big sister. I'm supposed to be worried about you," Yang smiled as she ruffled Ruby's hair.

Nagata couldn't believe what he was seeing. He was surprised when he saw Ruby-a girl who was identical to his deceased birth mother. Now he was seeing someone who looked like his adoptive mother-his Aunt Yang. She was a little younger, but the blonde hair and lilac eyes were definitely identical. She even had the same attitude. He should've seen this coming, though. His mother and adoptive mother were both sisters, so there was a chance that it would be the same for Ruby and Yang.

"Mom..." Nagata whispered. He tried to fight back his tears and calm down. He couldn't let anyone see him get so worked up. "So, you're our guest."

"Yo, the name's Yang Xiao Long," Yang waved. Ruby avoided eye contact. "So, you're this 'Gaim-sama' I've been hearing about. I kinda pictured you being taller."

His vassals would've admonished Yang for her disrespect, but she really didn't mean to be condescending. She was making a blunt observation. She was definitely like his mom in more than just appearance.

"Well, people tend to exaggerate about me," he replied. People recognized the armor, not the one wearing it. "I'm used to it. Anyway, I'll let you both catch up with each other. I need to debrief with the others," Nagata said in a curt business-like tone.

"Geez, what's his problem?" Yang frowned as Nagata walked away. She noticed Ruby's sad expression as Nagata left. "Ruby, what's wrong?"

"He's mad at me, Yang. I messed up." Ruby hung her head.

Now Yang wanted to know _everything_.

"Tell me everything."

* * *

Meanwhile, in an undisclosed location, the Grimm Claw and Armored War Devils were gathered together. The building they were having their meeting in once belonged to Chojo, the tyrannical and power hungry official that used Totaku as a figurehead and scapegoat to rule China and to take the blame for her cruel actions. It was abandoned since her demise, allowing the Armored War Devils to take it and utilize it for this meeting.

This meeting was set up by Ukitsu so that his group could gain the trust of the Grimm Claw, a splinter group of the RinJyuKen Akugata. If they were to be working together, they needed to build a good rapport with each other. However, Ukitsu was also cautious. This meeting was also set up so he could check for any signs of treachery. He didn't want to be caught off guard and to be fooled by these fiends. They had betrayed and abandoned the RinJyuKen Akugata, so they were no strangers to betrayal.

"Well done, Alako. Another piece of the Forge has now been added to our collection," Wendigo praised his subordinate.

"Thank you, My Lord," Alako accepted the praise.

Moments later, a portal opened up and everyone present watched as Marika, Manda and Ranha stepped out of it. They had just returned from their mission. Time to learn about how their part went.

Manda and Ranha bowed before their master and announced, "We've returned, Wendigo-sama."

Wendigo asked, "Did you manage to acquire your piece?" He would be very displeased if they failed to retrieve it.

Ranha bravely, yet sadly, reported, "Unfortunately, My Lord, the Armored War Gods of Shoku have taken possession of it."

Both Alako and Wendigo were surprised by this, with the latter showing displeasure on his visage.

"Impossible!" Alako spoke out. "How could they have found out its location?"

Wendigo, fortunately, didn't lash out at this failure. He was calmly processing all this and came to a logical conclusion. The only way their enemies could have uncovered the location of the secret temple that housed the Forge piece was if they had a map.

But all the maps had been destroyed, weren't they? He had sent one of his subordinates to destroy all the books that the Shoku Faction had gathered from the Imperial Library.

Now he knew who was to blame for this and he was unhappy.

"Manda!" Wendigo shouted as he advanced on his frightened subordinate. Everyone wisely stepped out of the way, giving him a path towards the Salamander Rinrinshi who trembled on the spot. His name was called and Wendigo did not look happy.

Manda knew he had screwed up somehow.

"Master, I swear! I burned everything!" Manda pleaded but Wendigo smacked him to the ground anyway.

"Your carelessness has cost us a piece of the Forge," Wendigo growled. The Salamander Rinrinshi attempted to scurry away from his master's wrath, but Wendigo wasn't about to let him go with just a smack. Grabbing him, Wendigo proceeded to claw, punch and stomp on him. The Salamander Rinrinshi had no choice but to take his punishment as Wendigo took his anger out on his subordinate. A piece of the Forge had fallen into enemy hands, which would make retrieving it a challenge. The leader of the Grimm Claw was understandably upset.

Alako and Ranha stood by and could only watch as their comrade suffered his punishment due to his failure. They waited for it to end. They watched as Wendigo stopped beating on Manda before he held up the Salamander Rinrinshi and opened his mouth. This was the price of failure in the Grimm Claw: **you get eaten by Wendigo**.

Manda panicked, begging for mercy, "NO, MASTER! PLEASE, I BEG YOU! PLEASE, GIVE ME ONE MORE CHANCE TO REDEEM MYSELF! PLEASE, DON'T EAT ME!"

Wendigo paused, but not because of Manda's begging. No, he sensed something hiding in the shadows.

"Reveal yourself," he ordered.

A Rinrinshi with the features of an owl stepped out of the shadows and bowed. "My Lord."

"Hu." Wendigo dropped Manda but put his foot down on his failure of a subordinate to pin him to the floor, preventing him from escaping. "What news do you bring?"

The Owl Rinrinshi reported, "The final piece is heavily defended. Heavy casualties and collateral damage are very likely."

"Numbers do not matter to me as long as the piece falls in our hands," Wendigo growled as he ground his foot into Manda, causing him to groan in pain. "However, we now have a new problem to deal with. Our enemies have claimed a piece of the Forge.

"That is not a problem, My Lord. I already have a solution to remedy the situation," Hu replied.

Wendigo was intrigued and removed his foot from Manda. He crawled away and safely went to a corner to lick his wounds.

"I'm listening," Wendigo said to his avian subordinate.

Meanwhile, Marika shut off her Peach Energy Lockseed and reverted to her civilian form. Ukitsu wanted to hear the details of her mission from her.

"So, how exactly did it go?" Ukitsu asked.

"I'll keep things brief," she answered before she described all the details to him.

* * *

"So I went in without backup, fought the bad guys, and they nearly killed me. If Nagata didn't come when he did, I might've died. But then the bad guys got the piece of the Forge and now he's upset with me," Ruby finished telling Yang about the mission and how it ended disastrously.

"Ruby, it isn't your fault." Yang tried to comfort Ruby.

"Of course it is! I didn't listen and now the bad guys got a piece of the Forge and Nagata's angry at me!" Ruby cried.

"Look, I'll go talk to him. Maybe get him to forgive you," Yang told her sister. She would do anything to stop Ruby from crying.

"No, you don't need to. I just need to make it up to him, that's all."

"Well, I'm going to help you anyway."

"Thanks, so how did you get here, Yang?"

* * *

**Several Days Earlier...**

It wasn't long after Nagata left with his team on their mission when Komei started to decipher another set of coordinates that would lead them to another piece of the Forge of the Underworld.

Using the coordinates, Iori checked the map. Apparently, the Forge fragment was in a place that would be a little _chilly_.

Batai complained, "I'm freezing!" She sneezed as she hugged herself, tightening the scarf that was around her neck. Iori, Kochu and Bacho, like her, were wearing thick winter coats and scarves to keep themselves warm. Not the most flattering, but they did keep the group warm.

"You don't do so well in the cold, do you?" Iori asked.

"No, I do not!" Batai sneezed. "Seriously, the sooner we finish this mission, the better I'll feel when we get back home!"

"Just be glad we packed these winter coats or none of us would be making this trip at all," added Kochu, the group's 'mother'. "You know, it's very lovely up here."

"And peaceful too," agreed Iori.

"Yeah, but it can get dangerous out here too," warned Bacho. She remembered the last time she went on a mission in a cold climate. It wasn't one she wanted to experience again. Then there was sharing body heat with Chou'un, which was a story she would take to her grave.

"Keep moving. That'll keep you warm. If we need to rest, we'll find a cave or make a shelter, then build a fire," Iori instructed, reciting something he had read from a survival guidebook.

"Is it just me, or is the snow falling really fast?" Batai asked.

"The wind's picking up too," added Bacho.

Iori's eyes narrowed as he picked up on those clues. They were signs of a blizzard coming.

"We gotta move," Iori urged.

"What's wrong, Airen?" Kochu asked as he held her hand.

"Everyone hold hands. We might have a blizzard coming," Iori cautioned. "So hold on tight."

The wind picked up speed and blasted snow in their direction. It wasn't a breeze, but a violent gust that was hitting them with snow. Iori clenched his eyes shut as he braced himself, holding tightly to Kochu's hand. He didn't want to lose her, not out here, where anything could happen to them. Bacho and Batai held on as well, bracing themselves as they kept a tight grip on each other.

Meanwhile, the blizzard wasn't the only danger they would experience out here. Obscured by the blizzard were large shadowy shapes which were converging upon the group.

Gradually, the blizzard ceased as the wind just tapered down until it was barely noticeable. Iori brushed off the snow that covered him and turned to look at Kochu.

"Koi, are you OK?" Iori asked. Her only answer was to grip his shoulders and pull him into a deep, passionate kiss. His mouth opened and in mid-gasp her tongue forced its way into his mouth. Iori did not resist at all as he closed his eyes and returned the kiss.

The married couple broke the kiss and gazed into each other's eyes. Iori resolved they find a cave soon so they could 'share body heat'.

"Um, guys," Bacho said with a tremble in her voice. "I think we're in trouble."

"Big trouble," Batai added in agreement.

Iori opened his eyes and Kochu gasped as they saw what it was that got Bacho and her cousin worried.

The group was surrounded by what appeared to be huge ape-like humanoids that looked like gorillas, with white fur that blended perfectly into the snowy background. They were eight feet tall and didn't look friendly.

"Um...nice snow apes..." Iori said uncertainly when he felt a chill around his legs. Looking down, he realized that a layer of ice had completely covered his feet. The same had happened to the rest of their team, immobilizing them. Bacho and Batai were trying to chip the ice away.

One of the Snow Apes, the biggest of them all, approached the group. This one was ten feet tall. Iori presumed this was the leader. He saw signs of intelligence in the Great Snow Ape's eyes.

"Airen, what are they?" Kochu whispered as she reached out and held his hand.

"Friendly, I hope," Iori replied. They weren't going anywhere because of the ice. Bacho and Batai tensed up, clenching their weapons and hardening their stares. "Just don't make any sudden moves."

"Hard to make any sort of moves now," responded Bacho as she tapped the ice with the butt of her spear.

The Great Snow Ape studied each of the intruders that had come to their lands. They were humans and seeing as they were here they might be in search of the divine object they were guarding. The Great Snow Ape bared its teeth as it looked into Iori's squinty eyes. He tried to not show fear, but he couldn't help it. He was afraid of what these Snow Apes might do to his wife and friends. He trembled as the Snow Apes closed in on them, as if they had already made their decision.

"We come in peace," started Iori as he spoke in a calm and even tone. These were intelligent creatures, so they needed to use diplomacy and delicacy. "And we apologize for intruding on your lands."

"Is he seriously talking to that thing?" Batai commented in a hushed tone.

"Shush," Bacho scolded.

The Great Snow Ape leaned in close towards Iori and breathed into his face. There was tension, and one wrong move could trigger something terrible.

All of a sudden, howls could be heard in the distance. Were wolves coming here too? As if giant Snow Apes weren't bad enough. A pack of wolves would just make things more difficult. The howls were getting louder, meaning the wolves were getting closer. They needed to get out of here and away from those wolves.

And then they all saw the dark shapes approaching, coming in fast. Their dark coats contrasted with the snow white background, allowing everyone to see them.

They weren't wolves. They were the Creatures of Grimm, Beowolves and Ursai alike.

At the sight of them, the Great Snow Ape bellowed and pointed at the Grimm. Instantly, the Snow Apes' attentions shifted from the human intruders to the inhuman threat. They charged at the Grimm, leaving Iori and his team behind.

"This is bad! Very bad!" Bacho panicked as she hit the ice to free herself. "We gotta get out of here!"

"**BUDOU!"**

"Hold on! I'll get you out!" Iori told them as he loaded his Budou Lockseed and hit the Cutting Blade.

"**HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!"**

"Now stand still," Ryugen said as he took aim with his Budou Ryuhou. One wrong move, one misaim, and he could accidentally hurt them. He fired at the ice holding them. The ice shattered, freeing their feet and restoring mobility.

"Thanks, Iori-sama!" Bacho grinned.

"Yeah!" added Batai. "Now let's get out of here!" She really didn't like their chances when facing both Snow Apes and Grimm, but Ryugen remained where he stood as he watched the white creatures fighting against the dark creatures.

The Snow Apes had a home field advantage, a larger size and strength, but not in terms of numbers. The Grimm outnumbered them. Also, the bipedal wolf-like creatures were fast and agile. They pounced on one of the Snow Apes and Ryugen witnessed as they tore it to pieces, as its red blood stained the snow.

The Ursai also gave the Beowolves some much needed aid in the physical strength department. They may not be as tall as the Snow Apes, but they were heavier. One of the Ursai tackled into a Snow Ape. The Beowolves also used their agility to their advantage as they attacked the legs. The Snow Apes attacked with their freeze breath, but the Grimm regrouped and attacked from another direction.

Ryugen grimaced. Their mission was to find a piece of the Forge that was here. They should just go and finish the mission, but part of him couldn't just abandon the Snow Apes to fight alone. Besides, what would stop the Grimm from coming after them once they were done with the Snow Apes?

"We're staying to fight," ordered Ryugen.

"What? Seriously!?" Batai gawked as Bacho followed Ryugen into battle. "Oh, come on!"

"Looks like we have no choice here," said Kochu as she aimed her bow and drew an arrow.

Ryugen aimed at the closest Beowolf and fired his Budou Ryuhou, putting it down to the ground. Skipping over it, he aimed and fired his Budou Ryuhou at more of the Grimm. Their white bone-like plates were like armor, so he aimed for the non-armored parts. The Snow Apes, especially the Great Snow Ape, saw Ryugen fighting against the Grimm.

"Hyah!" Bacho stabbed a Beowolf in the throat before she withdrew her Silver Flash yari from it. Nearby, Batai dodged a lunge from a Beowolf before she landed on its back to stab it in the back of the neck.

"Ah, man! There's too many of them!" Batai complained as she saw the Grimm surrounding them, looking quite vicious.

Kochu aimed and fired arrows like a machine gun. They flew and struck the Grimm in their weak spots. Her aim was so accurate that she hit them all in the eye. This allowed Ryugen to fire at them with his Budou Ryuhou.

A few Ursai had gathered together to bum rush them all. However, Ryugen wasn't about to let them. He hit his Cutting Blade and pulled on his Budou Ryuhou's hammer.

"**HAI~! BUDOU AU LAIT!"**

His gun charged up as he took aim. His skills as a marksman allowed him to judge directions and distances accurately. So, he had no problems with hitting his target. Purple shots blasted rapidly out of his Budou Ryuhou, and the Ursai dropped as the bullets pierced their bodies, killing them.

Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of the Grimm quite yet. There were still more Grimm and while the Snow Apes were still killing off the dark creatures the Creatures of Grimm were also thinning their numbers. Already, Ryugen saw another Snow Ape fall as it was mauled to death by an Ursa.

"**KIWI! LOCK ON! HAI~! KIWI ARMS! GEKI, RIN, SEI-YA HA!"**

Once the Kiwi Arms Armor equipped itself to his body, Ryugen spun in place before he hurled the huge round blades, sending them flying. The Kiwi Gekirin sliced through the Grimm before returning to him.

Kochu's eyes widened as she saw something sneaking up behind her husband.

"Airen! Watch out!" Kochu shouted. "Behind you!"

Ryugen turned and his eyes widened as he saw an Ursa Major. It was twice as big as a normal Ursa and had more bone plates and spikes covering its body. It roared and smacked Ryugen to the ground. Rising on its hind legs, the Ursa Major picked Ryugen up and brought him close to its mouth.

And then an explosion shocked the Ursa Major, causing it to release Ryugen. He fell on his back in the snow and blinked.

What just hit the Ursa Major?

"YEEEEAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Yang Xiao Long came flying like a golden meteor, trailing flames, as she hit the Ursa Major with a kick to knock it off balance. Bringing her fist up, she smashed it into the Ursa Major's skull. It threw her off and she landed on her feet. Her hair glowed, aura blazing, and her eyes were red.

"Finally, some action!" Yang grinned as she pounded her fists together. Ryugen was rising back to his feet, looking at her. "Need some help?"

"Thank you," he replied. "Name's Ryugen. You?"

"Yang Xiao Long," Yang introduced herself. "I see you're having a Grimm problem. Need help exterminating these pests?"

Ryugen liked her spirit and turned his gaze on the dwindling numbers of the Grimm and Snow Apes.

"Go for it!" Ryugen allowed it. "Just target the black ones, not the white ones."

"So just the Grimm then. Gotcha." Yang gave a cheeky grin and pumped her fists together. Yellow flames surrounded her gauntlets and she charged right in.

Iori took the time in analyzing the situation. What were the Grimm doing here? If they were here, that could only mean...

A few of the Snow Apes helped their leader up. They were wounded but they could still fight. Carefully, Ryugen approached them. The Snow Apes stood protectively in front of the Great Snow Ape, growling at the green Armored War God.

"Please, I need your help," Ryugen pleaded. "We need to cooperate if we're going to live through this."

The Snow Apes were about to threaten Ryugen as he dared to speak with their leader, but the Great Snow Ape halted them. It looked at the Demon Dragon's eyes and considered what it had witnessed. This human and his companions were defending them from these beasts. He could be an ally.

Ryugen continued to plead his case, "Please, you need to take me to whatever it is you're guarding. I fear some bad people are going to steal it, and neither of us wants that to happen."

The Great Snow Ape nodded and let out a roar to signal those nearby. He was calling them to return to the divine item and protect it. The Great Snow Ape then offered his hand. But first, he needed a change of armor.

"**HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!"**

The Kiwi Arms were good, but he was always felt better fighting in his default Budou Arms.

Ryugen called out to his wife, "Shion, the others will take care of the Grimm. You and I need to find that piece of the Forge!"

"Got it, Airen," Kochu nodded in return. The Great Snow Ape helped them to get up on his back and they hung on as it and a number of its kin rushed towards the temple.

"Hey, where are you going!?" Bacho yelled.

"We're heading to the temple!" Ryugen shouted. "We'll come back, I promise!" Ryugen looked ahead as he whispered, "Let's hope we're not too late."

* * *

However, it was already too late. The temple, where the piece of the Forge was hidden, had already gone up in smoke. Parts of the now ruined temple were covered in scorch marks and other parts had been smashed to pieces. A battle had taken place here, evident by all the damage and the carcasses of Grimm and Snow Apes that lay sprawled all over the snow. The Grimm would soon disintegrate into nothing, but the Snow Apes' bodies would remain.

With the Snow Apes guarding the place dealt with, Marika and her allies from the Grimm Claw entered the temple. With no obstacles getting in their way, their mission had become marginally easier.

"What weak creatures. I can't believe they were to be this place's guardians," scoffed Manda. "Even rats packed more of a bite."

"Well, it's hard to find good help these days," remarked Marika.

"And you're one to talk about weakness, Manda. After all, you've lost plenty of times in the past," insulted Ranha. Manda hissed in response.

They had found the piece of the Forge, which looked like a long piece of metal. It was stabbed right into a pedestal made of ice that kept it standing tall.

Marika intervened before both Grimm Claw officers could get into a fight, "May we focus on retrieving the item before we can leave?" Honestly, she had no idea what Ukitsu was thinking when he decided they should ally with these creatures.

"You're right," Ranha agreed as she grabbed hold of the piece. As she was about to pull it out, the silence within the temple shattered as a roar of rage could be heard, echoing all around them.

"Looks like some of them just came back," Marika deduced. Looking towards the entrance of the temple, the trio saw a small horde of Snow Apes that caused the floor to trembles as they stomped their way inside. They finally stopped as they entered the main chamber. Ryugen saw who they were, and identified Marika.

"You?" Ryugen never forgot Marika since their first encounter from way back when. He remembered it as the day he came back and was reunited with Kochu.

"So, the Demon Dragon of Shoku is here as well. How long has it been, Armored War God Ryugen?" Marika greeted casually.

"Not long enough!" Ryugen jumped off the Great Snow Ape's back and fired his Budou Ryuhou. Multiple shots landed around Marika as she jumped out of the way. As Ryugen landed on his feet, Manda conjured a fireball and hurled it at Ryugen. He was hit in the chest and knocked to the ground.

"Airen!" Kochu gasped as she knelt by his side and helped him up.

"We can't let them get that piece!" Ryugen pointed at the ice pedestal.

The Snow Apes and their leader, finally identifying the true threat, roared and charged at the evil Rider and her partners.

Ranha was in the middle of grabbing the piece in the midst of chaos. "Don't just stand there you fools, protect me!"

Marika grumbled but complied anyway as she took aim and fired her Sonic Arrow at the Snow Apes that were coming dangerously close to Ranha, killing them. She then dodged a flying kick from Ryugen who followed up with a series of kicks. She dodged them before she landed a kick of her own and sent him skidding back. She fired at him with her Sonic Arrow, but he ducked then fired back with his Budou Ryuhou.

Sidestepping the shots, Marika darted towards Ryugen and hooked her arm around his neck before she slammed him to the ground. She then rose back up and fired at him, but he rolled out of the way to return fire once he got back to his feet. Rolling out of the way, she jumped and then smashed her knee against his head, knocking him back down.

As Marika raised her Sonic Arrow so she could slice off his head, Ryugen quickly switched Lockseeds.

"**PITAYA!"**

The Pitaya Armor Part exited out of a Helheim portal and smacked Marika right in the face. Once she was stunned, he quickly switched Arms.

"**HAI~! PITAYA ARMS! RYUJIN, HOU, HOH! HOH! HOH!"**

"Oh no," Marika groaned as she saw the Pitaya Ryujin Hou aimed right at her.

"Fire in the hole!" Ryugen shouted and fired a pink energy shell at Marika. She jumped out of the way and the shell flew straight towards Ranha. The Grimm Claw Rinrinshi heard the blast coming and screamed as she was hit. She was obscured with smoke along with the ice pedestal and the piece of the Forge.

Meanwhile, Kochu was fighting against Manda. The Salamander Rinrinshi was obviously more powerful than her. She was, after all, only human despite her skill with the bow. However, she had much needed help as the Snow Apes aided her. Riding on the back of a Snow Ape, Kochu had the muscle she needed to stop Manda.

Despite its size and bulk, the Snow Apes were deceptively more agile than one would expect. They jumped from one spot to another, dodging Manda's fireballs. It was a good thing the chamber was so spacious. As the Snow Ape she was riding dodged the fireballs, Kochu fired her arrows. When it came to power, Manda won, but Kochu was a master when it came to accuracy.

Avoiding another fireball, Kochu rapidly fired arrows that pierced Manda's shoulder. He let out a grunt from some of the arrows and was nearly blindsided by a Snow Ape. Glaring at the offending beast, Manda sprayed a plume of fire into its face, blinding it and causing it to scream.

Ranha groaned as she managed to survive the blast from the Pitaya Ryujin Hou. As she felt around the floor, her hand touched something long and made of metal. She picked it up and grinned. It seemed that Ryugen's shell had shattered the ice pedestal, freeing the piece of the Forge they were after.

"Everyone, I've got the piece! It's time we go! Now!" Ranha ordered.

Manda heard as he dodged a swipe from a Snow Ape. He also saw Marika tumble through the air with a scorched and smoking chestpiece.

"Alright!" Manda put his hands together and created a blinding flash of burning light. Everyone who caught sight of the flash screamed as they were blinded.

"Ugh! I can't see!" Ryugen yelled. "Shion! Shion!"

"Airen, where are you!? I'm blind!" Kochu panicked.

Slowly, their eyesight recovered. There were some spots in their field of vision, but those would pass as well. However, they now had some really, really bad news.

Their enemies had fled, and they had taken the piece of the Forge with them.

"They can't have gotten far! Let's go, Koi!" Ryugen called to his wife.

The two Grimm Claw officers and Marika had just exited the temple. Ranha grinned as she held the piece of the Forge. Wendigo would definitely reward her for succeeding. However, her smile was wiped off her face when she received a bone-shattering blow to the face. She was hurled to the stone and lost her grip on the Forge piece.

A hand covered in a yellow gauntlet picked it up and Ranha was shocked as she and her partners faced a small horde of very angry Snow Apes, a couple of spear maidens, and a blonde bombshell.

"So, miss me?" Yang quipped.

"Hand that over!" Ranha demanded from Yang.

"I don't think so. Something tells me this does not belong to you," Yang said as she held onto the Forge piece.

"I don't know who you think you are, stranger, but rest assured that this mountain will be your grave," Ranha growled as she revealed her claws.

"Chill out, scum sucker!" Yang mockingly retorted. "Come and take it, if you can!"

The Snow Apes roared and blasted the villainous trio with a blizzard. They lost their footing and were thrown into the air.

As Marika and the Grimm Claw members were sent flying off the mountain, she had to act quickly. She used a talisman Ukitsu had given to her and tossed it, opening an escape portal. They fell into it before it vanished from sight, sending them back to their headquarters.

Moments later, Ryugen stepped out of the temple with Kochu. When he didn't see Marika and the two Rinrinshi with her, he closed his Lockseed to cancel out his transformation.

"What happened out here?" Iori asked.

"Oh, our big friends here sent those losers packing," Batai answered.

"What happened to the piece of the Forge?" Iori asked.

Bacho smiled. "Don't worry. Xiao Long-san has it."

"Xiao Long?" Iori looked to the blonde who was holding the piece of the Forge. Remembering a conversation they had with Ruby, Iori questioned the blonde, "Miss Xiao Long, does the name 'Ruby Rose' mean anything to you?"

Yang's eyes shot out as she yelled, "You know my sister?"

"Yes, she's with us. We can take you to her if you'd like."

"Well, what are waiting for? Let's go go go!"

"Wait," Iori said to Yang and he turned to face the Great Snow Ape. "I don't know if I can convince you that we're doing the right thing, but please trust us that we will protect this piece of the Forge. That is why we're here."

The Great Snow Ape looked at Iori, judging his sincerity. He then raised a fist and held it in front of Iori's face. He braced himself for the worst when the Great Snow Ape gently poked his forehead. Retracting his arm, the Great Snow Ape turned to face the temple and entered, followed by its kin.

"OK, what was that about?" Bacho asked.

"I think they've accepted me as a friend," Iori guessed. "Come on, let's head back to Shoku."

Yang approached Iori with a sly grin. "So, if you're not doing anything at the moment. Maybe we could get to know one another personally."

"I'm married," he told her firmly.

Yang gasped a bit, hearing that. "Oh."

"And my wife is standing right behind you."

Yang turned around and saw the purple haired woman's face was getting demonic. Yang recoiled as she saw the look Kochu was giving her.

"Can we get off this mountain now? I'm freezing here!" Batai cried.

* * *

**The present...**

Meanwhile, another conversation was taking place. Iori was speaking with Kanu in the kitchen so they wouldn't be disturbed.

"We managed to grab a piece of the Forge," said Iori.

"That's good news at least," Kanu smiled.

"What about you? How did your mission go?" he inquired.

"We failed, Iori-sama. We lost a piece of the Forge to the enemy," Kanu confessed.

"What happened?" Iori asked for details.

"I don't wish to blame anyone, but during the mission Nagata-sama seemed more focused on protecting Ruby-dono," she told him. Iori scowled. Nagata had lost focus. Maybe it was Ruby's fault, maybe it was Nagata's fault, but this couldn't continue for much longer. They needed to talk to him.

"This has gone far enough," Iori stated.

"What will you do?" Kanu asked.

"We're going to go talk to him. Follow me."

They needn't look very far. They found Nagata out in the garden, performing a kata with his katana. He would usually do this to focus his thoughts when things got too stressful, and this situation certainly applied.

"Nagata, we need to talk," Iori said, causing Nagata to end his kata mid-way.

"Can't it wait? I need to do this kata, and then I need to talk to Ruby. I need to set some ground rules for her while she's staying with us." Nagata wanted to go but Iori and Kanu were persistent.

"I'm sorry," Iori said as he touched Nagata's shoulder, "But this can't wait. So it's important to that you listen."

Nagata looked between Iori and Kanu and saw no way out. He frowned but sat down with them so they could talk. Actually, it seemed to be that they would be doing all the talking while he would be the one to listen.

* * *

At the same time, everyone else was enjoying a feast in the dining room. Yang was the most enthusiastic as she scarfed down as much food as Chouhi, which was quite a lot. The two were eating in sync, boggling the minds of those presently sitting at the table with them.

Yang never got fat from eating a lot. Her lifestyle, consistent exercise and metabolism helped her to burn off any excess calories.

"We should sign them up for eating contest," Chou'un remarked.

Batai agreed. "Yeah, people would pay to see two girls eat 500 bowls of fried rice in one sitting."

Ruby sweatdropped as she watched this 'horror fest'. She was a little embarrassed to be related to one of them. Yang really didn't have much in terms of table manners, especially when starving after a good fight. She always built up a huge appetite after an epic battle.

"Where is Nagata-niichan?" Chouhi wondered. Amusingly, she was asking while her cheeks were bulging.

Everyone finally noticed how their leader was absent. They had been so busy being mesmerized by how two girls could eat so much that they hadn't realized that he wasn't sitting at the table with them. Iori and Kanu were absent as well.

Yang saw a chance and she took it. "I'll go look for him. Ruby, you're coming too."

"What?" Ruby realized she had just been volunteered. "But Yang, I-"

"Come on, little sis. This will be good for you," Yang encouraged. She grabbed Ruby's hand and dragged her away from the table to look for Shoku's Blue King.

* * *

Kanu and Iori dragged Nagata up to his office so they could speak in private. Nagata didn't look very happy but he had no way of getting out of this.

"Aisha told me what happened during your mission," Iori started. "I think you need to stop dwelling on Ruby."

"She disobeyed my orders, and nearly got herself hurt," Nagata countered as he tried to justify his actions. "She could've been killed."

"So could Chouhi, and yet you let her come along on your mission. How old is she now? 13? 14? And what about Batai? She's a kid too, but you pretty much ordered her to come along with me," Iori reminded.

"Rinrin and Tanpopo are both skilled and they have proven themselves in the field of battle. They survived and fought alongside us many times before," Nagata shot back.

"They're experienced, I'll give you that, but that doesn't change the fact they're still just kids. And in case you've forgotten, Ruby's a trained warrior. She's not carrying that scythe-gun thing just for show, you know. From what I've seen, she can pretty much handle any obstacle the world can throw at her." Iori brought that up. He saw the silver eye girl's skills and on top of that, how serious she was. "If you had worked with her instead of sidelining her, things would have turned out differently."

Sadly, Nagata scoffed, "I don't believe this."

"What I don't believe is your lack of faith in someone and that you believe they need your help to succeed."

Seeing this isn't going anywhere, Kanu finally stepped in. "Nagata-sama, Iori-sama speaks the truth."

"You're siding with _him _now?" Nagata frowned at her.

Kanu whispered, pleading to her lover, "We're just worried about you." She didn't want to see him in pain.

Iori resumed after, "And you need to open your eyes. What you saw in Ruby, she can't be…"

"**WHAT IS WRONG WITH PROTECTING MY MOTHER!?"**

Nagata breathed heavily after his outburst. His face had gotten darker as the argument continued. His eyes showed signs of anger and his hair was messy like an untamed jungle. Iori and Kanu reeled back after seeing this change in his behavior.

As he regained his composure, his eyes turned sad. The young man realized what he had done and was starting to feel remorseful. He didn't mean it. He didn't.

Nagata hung his head as he whispered, "I'm sorry, I just can't lose _her _again."

Iori and Kanu looked at him sympathetically. This was probably too painful for him to admit.

"Do you know how it feels to lose someone you love?" Nagata asked. "Do you know how it feels when you realize that you forgot about them?" This was something he couldn't keep a secret anymore. "I lost my memories the same day I lost my parents...but when I recovered those memories, I remembered _everything_."

"What did you remember exactly?" Iori asked cautiously.

"I remember when I woke up after the accident. I saw both my parents. They weren't moving at all. They weren't…I shook them! I begged them to get up! I prayed! But nothing happened!" Nagata cried as he recounted his experience. He didn't look like the strong leader everyone looked up to right now. Now he just looked like a scared child who had lost everything. He gazed at his hands as the tears continued to come out. "My hands...they were stained in my blood. Ever since I got my memories back, that memory has been one of the strongest and I've been having nightmares about that day."

Kanu covered her mouth in horror as she whispered, "Nagata-sama…"

Iori had no words to say. He wanted to open his friend's eyes, but he may have pushed things too far.

Nagata continued, "Ever since that day, ever since I remembered what happened, I've sworn to never let something like that happen again. I now have a second chance. Maybe, just maybe, this time I can save her."

Kanu understood. Nagata may have been acting overprotective in regards to Ruby, but only because his memories were too painful. It wasn't easy to move on from something like that. Gently, she put her hand on Nagata's.

"Nagata-sama, I know it's difficult when you meet someone who resembles a lost loved one. Remember when we met Nise?" Kanu spoke to him.

"How could I forget?" Nagata responded with a frown. Nise, the man he thought of as a friend, had been a traitor who stole Ryuubi's name for the sake of fame and fortune.

Kanu recapped the event, "I grew close to him because of his resemblance to my late brother, so it hurt so much when he revealed his true colors. I don't want you to go through the same thing."

Iori added, "Ruby may look like her and act like her, but she is not your mother. She was raised in an entirely different world. She's a different person. You have to accept that."

Nagata turned away. "I know that, alright? I know. But my heart tells me differently. I know it doesn't make sense, but what I know and what I feel are two different things." He knew they were right, but he wasn't ready to accept that. Ruby just looked so much like his mother that he couldn't help but project on her. Was it rational, no? But when was being rational ever been a choice in this situation?

What the three didn't realize was that they had a couple of eavesdroppers standing on the other side of the closed doors. Yang and Ruby had gone looking for them when they heard an outburst coming from the office.

Ruby actually wanted to apologize to Nagata for causing their mission to fail, but then they heard _everything_.

What they heard had shocked the two sisters.

Nagata had lost both his parents, but what shocked them even more was that his birth mother, the one he had lost, was Ruby herself.

It was no wonder he was so warm to welcome her.

'_I'm...his mother?_' Ruby thought in stunned silence. She heard how he had lost his parents and realized they had something in common. She had lost her mother too, long ago, and it was something she was still trying to cope with. She moved on, but she still visited her mother's grave just to talk with her. But to be honest, she sometimes wished she could've been able to save her mother. Maybe, just maybe, then their family wouldn't have been so broken. She remembered how devastated their dad had been. He had lost his first wife, then his second. He got better, but seeing him in all that pain was something she wasn't likely to forget.

And now here she was, listening to a young man, who was her son from another reality...who had lost _her_. His mother-she-was dead. It all made sense now. The way he acted around her, the way he treated her, it was all because she looked like his mother.

Her sister on the other hand was outraged. Yang decided to barge inside to give Nagata a piece of her mind but a hand from her little sister stopped her from going through with it.

"Ruby?" Yang whispered.

"No, Yang." Ruby shook her head. "Let's...let's just go..." Ruby wiped her tears away. Yang frowned sadly. Seeing how hurt her sister was, Yang decided to postpone this confrontation until later. It wasn't the best course of action right now.

As the two of them left, Komei was just arriving to Nagata's office. She spotted the sisters walking away and wondered what they wanted with Nagata. Shrugging, she knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" Nagata responded.

"It's me, Nagata-sama. I've found something you might want to see," she answered.

"Come in."

Komei entered the office and found that Nagata wasn't alone. With him were Kanu and Iori.

"Shuri, have you found out where the last piece is?" asked Nagata.

"Yes," the tired Komei said as she took out the paper that showed her findings.

Nagata read them and gave out an alarmed gasp. "Are you sure about this?"

"I double-checked and triple-checked. This information is accurate," insisted Komei.

Kanu, Iori and Nagata shared worried looks.

* * *

As these other tales were beginning to unravel, another one was taking place at sea. Actually, it was a pretty big river. Sailing on the river was a ship that belonged to "The Proud and Beautiful Ensho" (trademark). The same words were also painted on the sails.

In recent years, the Inves Games had become a hot topic over China. Unfortunately for most of the nation, the Inves Games were primarily played in Go and its territories. They were still trying to export Lockseeds outside of the known Go territories, but there was a lot of bureaucracy involved so the Inves Games were limited only in Go's territories.

Ensho, wanting to cash in on the Inves Games, was heading out to Go to negotiate a deal so she could have the Inves Games take place in her territories. The ship was sailing smoothly, even with the heavy fog.

Blake was standing up on deck for some fresh air. She didn't want to be cooped up in the cabin, especially if it meant listening to Ensho. The woman had treated her friendly enough, but her ego was so huge that it was suffocating to sit in the same room with her.

Haru joined her up on deck and spoke, "So, Kit. How do you like your stay in China so far?" 'Kit' was a nickname he came up for Blake. The latter was hesitant but she accepted it in the end. He hadn't meant it as an insult, but as a term of endearment.

He could've come up with worse and started calling her 'Pussy'. That would've been inappropriate and awkward.

"It's…unique to say the least." Indeed, Blake was adjusting well to her time in this world and the treatment she was receiving. It probably had something to do with the friendship she had formed with Haru, the fiancé of Ensho who was the noble lord of her own province. She also managed to earn Ensho's gratitude and respect when she aided in protecting her city from the monstrous Grimm invasion. While staying with Ensho, she helped with maintaining the peace.

Then one day, during one of Ensho's weekly events, she accidentally tripped and grabbed hold of Blake's ribbon, revealing her cat ears. Blake was surprised and was afraid that she would receive scorn due to her extra pair of ears. She was prepared to receive ridicule from the public, but they instead accepted her. Ganryo even said her ears looked cute.

The experience opened Blake's eyes. Back in her world, she and her kind, the Faunus, suffered nonstop prejudice from humanity. But these humans here didn't seem to mind. In fact, some of them began to worship her like some kind of deity. Haru explained to her that the people believe she had come from Heaven to protect them from the monsters. They even called her the Lucky Cat Goddess because of her ears, and believed she brought them all good luck just by being in their presence. Compared to the monsters that normally attacked, she was considered normal.

This world was truly different from Remnant. Unlike her homeworld, they did not have any Grimm. Back on Remnant, the Grimm occupied most of her world so it was easy to forget the beauty that the world had to offer.

In this world, she saw wonderful landscapes and grand mountains that reached the sky. She saw clear rivers and lush forests that had birds chirping in them. Once or twice, Blake pinched herself to make sure she wasn't just dreaming. She did read a lot of fiction as a form of escapism.

However, this world wasn't perfect. It still had its share of problem. War was still pretty common around here, according to Haru. The most recent war had left China without a ruler to unite them, causing many factions to be formed. Each of the factions was gathering power and absorbing territories to spread their influence. Sonsaku of Go and Sousou of Gi were the most active warlords trying to unite the land under their own banners.

Blake was saddened by this. Even in a whole new world, even one such lush and beautiful as this, there was still war. She herself had witnessed the aftermath of a war and how it affected her people, the Faunus. However, she was glad to see there were people who wanted to put an end to it.

Haru was among them and he was known as an Armored War God. While he had the word 'War' in his title, Haru was no warmonger. He was a warrior who was sincere in doing his duties to make things better. Knowing her friend wasn't using his powers to cause harm gave her some comfort.

Blake truly wished to live in a world as peaceful as this where people got along. While this place had its fair share of monsters, but they weren't plagued by them. The Grimm on her world prevented humanity from expanding beyond the safety of the kingdoms. Towns and villages that live outside the kingdoms didn't last very long and were in constant threat of the Creatures of Grimm.

As Blake got lost in her thoughts, she began to feel calmer. Her smile widened, with a bit of drool dripping out of the corner of her lips. A lightish red blush was present on her cheeks. Her eyes widened as she realized the cause of her relaxation.

It was Haru. He was scratching behind her cat ears and giving her a cheeky smile.

Blake gasped, her face red, and shrieked as she jumped out of Haru's reach.

"What do you think you're doing!?" she demanded, hand reaching for her Gambol Shroud.

"You were staring off into space again," he answered.

"And you thought it was a good idea to touch my ears?" she glared.

"Well, I couldn't resist. Sorry."

"It's alright," Blake sighed.

"So, what were you thinking about?"

"It's just that...I'm a bit homesick, I guess."

"You miss your world," Haru concluded.

"Well, not really. I mean, it's home, but not the best."

"How so?"

"How would you feel about living in a world where you're discriminated against for having these?" Blake asked, pointing at her cat ears.

"Well, I won't love it. That's for sure. I mean, I can understand what it's like."

"How?"

"Kit, I've been judged by my appearance. When someone looks at me, they think I'm just some dumb musclehead who's only good at punching things. At worst, they think I'm a thug or delinquent just because I'm good at fighting. Didn't win me many friends, though. Kids were too scared of me when they saw me punch a brick in half."

"They judge you before getting to know you." Blake understood that.

Haru shrugged. "Yeah, pretty much, but I learned a long time ago that what they think of you doesn't matter. It's how you think of yourself, and the opinions of those close to you, that should matter the most."

"If only both sides could see it that way," Blake agreed but there were some things that weren't as radiant as the fairy tales in books.

"You're with me. A human. How does that make you feel?"

Blake considered Haru's question. She could see he was taking this seriously right now.

"It's good," Blake responded somberly before giving him a very tranquil smile. "It's very good."

Haru smiled once more, happy that he managed to cheer up his new friend.

Suddenly, a large shadow flew over them. It didn't go unnoticed as many of the passengers reacted in fright.

"What the Hell!?" Haru shouted.

"AAAHHH!" Bunshu yelled. "BIG BIRD! **BIG BIRD!**"

"A Nevermore!" Blake identified as she saw the giant avian Grimm.

"One of your Grimm?" Haru looked to his new kitty companion.

The next question now, why was it here?

As the ship was slowly approaching Go, the heavy fog began to clean. Instead of a welcoming sight, they saw something that horrified them as they saw and heard explosions up in the sky. Buildings were toppling over as the citizens of Go screamed in terror from the Grimm.

This was a nightmare come to life.

Go was at war.

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:**

**Issei Akechi (AU counterpart of Issei Hyoudou from **_**High School DxD**_**): **Issei Akechi is the biological father of Mitsuki Akechi. Unlike his DxD counterpart, Issei Akechi is not perverted. He had a great relationship with his family. However the deaths of his wife and daughter and the loss of his job damaged him severely, transforming the man into an alcoholic. This caused a strained in his relationship with his son, Mitsuki. Despite all that, Mitsuki still loves his father and was devastated when Issei died.

**Ravel Akechi (formerly Houoh, AU counterpart of Ravel Phoenix from **_**High School DxD**_**):** Issei's late wife and the biological mother of Mitsuki and Karin. She died after giving birth to Karin due to complication. Originally a member of the Houoh Family, she was disowned for marrying a 'commoner' (Issei). Her family refused to help her, but she did not mind, and was happy with her husband.

**Karin Akechi: **Issei and Ravel's daughter and Mitsuki's little sister. When she was born, her mother died. Instead of blaming her for Ravel's death, they loved her more than ever as she is what's left of Ravel. She copied her mother's hairstyle and also has a bit of an arrogant and haughty personality. She contracted a serious illness later on. Her death would push her father towards alcoholism while her brother lost his purpose and vows to live only for himself. She resembles Sousou, something that drives Mitsuki to swear his loyalty to the warlord. As she died before she could achieve her dreams, Mitsuki swears to help Sousou accomplish _her _ambition.

* * *

**GKoh: Anyway, I'm back and I intend on finishing this story before the next year. To those who had followed my fanfiction such as Hunt of the Armored War Gods or the Age of Pokemon, I have some bad news for you all. Due to lacking the passion I once had for the show, I sadly to say that these would be my last fics. However, I do intend on finishing Hunt of the Armored War Gods completely and I have some almost finished drafts that will serve as the finale for Age of Pokemon. So, I once more say to you all. Thank you for your dedication and loyalty.**


	13. Raging

**Sangokuden x RWBY: Hunt of the Armored War Gods**

**Written By: GKoh**

**Chapter 9: Raging**

The situation in Shoku was getting pretty hectic. So, let's recap for a bit. First, we have a splinter group of the RinJyuKen called the Grimm Claw attempting to assemble pieces of an artifact called the Forge of the Underworld for their evil plans. Then, a group of Huntsmen and Huntresses from Remnant end up scattered throughout Ancient China. Finally, one of those Huntresses turn out to be a dead-ringer for Nagata's late mother if she were a young teen, while the other resembled a younger version of his adoptive mother/aunt.

Nagata was having an inner crisis, which had the bad timing of emerging right now since they all needed him to focus on stopping the Grimm Claw.

And there were a couple of guests who had other things on their mind.

Ruby and Yang were currently occupying the guest room that Nagata had given them. Ruby was lying on the bed in silence as Yang had rigged up a makeshift punching bag with a pillow and some rope she found. It swung back-and-forth with each blow. She held back just enough so she didn't destroy the whole thing.

Yang took her responsibilities as Ruby's big sister seriously. After hearing all that and learning what Nagata's deal was, the blonde brawler was more or less enraged.

"I can't believe him. This guy just looks at you as some kind of surrogate for his dead mom," Yang grumbled in disgust. "It's sick."

"Yang..." Ruby spoke. "I don't think he meant anything bad by it."

"Don't try to defend him, Ruby," Yang admonished. "You have every right to be upset at him for treating you like this."

"Yeah, I mean, I'm upset by how he treated me," Ruby admitted, "But can you imagine what he's going through?"

"Whaddya mean?" Yang questioned.

"Remember when we lost mom?" Ruby reminded.

Yang knew where her little sister was going with this. "Come on, Ruby. That's...that's different."

"It was different," Ruby confirmed. "I was just told she was dead. She didn't come home one day and dad was crying. You had to tell me what happened. But he, he actually saw his parents' dead bodies. He was right there when it happened. How can someone go through something like that as a kid and not get a bit messed up? It's no wonder he's acting this way around me. I remind him of his mom."

"Are you seriously considering playing surrogate for him? Do you honestly believe you're his mom?" Yang asked in disbelief.

Ruby got off the bed to face Yang, her silver eyes narrowed in determination. "I swore to myself that I would make the world a better place, but what would happen if I wasn't there for my loved ones?"

Yang couldn't come up with a proper response. This was a lot to take in.

"Ruby, do you know what you're saying?" Yang asked.

"He never got over what happened to his parents, so he thinks that by saving me he can make up for not being able to save them. So, I'm just going to show him that I'm not so weak," Ruby resolved.

There was a knock at the door when Ruby finished.

"The door's open," Ruby allowed.

The door opened, revealing Bacho and Batai.

"What's going on?" Ruby asked.

"Gaim-sama asked us to come get you for an emergency meeting," Batai answered.

"Yeah, he sounded pretty urgent and insists on having you both attend," added Bacho.

"Well, let's go then," said Ruby as she turned to her sister. "You coming, Yang?"

"Yeah, whatever," mumbled Yang.

Yang crossed her arms in silent anger. She still didn't like how this 'Gaim' was treating her little sister. It wasn't unjustified anger either. He was simply using her as a replacement for his dead mother. It would be sweet if it wasn't so creepy. Her family had gone through plenty of bad times and did not need this.

"You OK, Yang?" Ruby asked.

"I'm fine. I'm just...Are you sure about this?" Yang asked, worried about her little sister.

"It'll be fine. Besides, we still have a mission here and maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to go home after this," Ruby said optimistically. "Now, come on. Let's go see what's up." Ruby followed Bacho and Batai out into the hallway. A few moments later, Yang followed them out as they headed to the meeting together.

Unbeknownst to the youngest of the sisters, an object she forgotten she had gave a small glimmer before it faded away.

* * *

The Round Table of Shoku. This was something Nagata came up with, inspired from Arthurian legend. It was like the Round Table of Camelot, with the knights filling in the seats. The circular table allowed each person sitting at the table to see everyone else that was sitting with them. It also made things fair and equal as everyone who sat at the table had a voice.

The seats of the Round Table were occupied by Nagata, his strategist and generals. The seats for Bacho and Batai remained empty, while two additional seats for their guests had been set up for them. This meeting was important and so couldn't wait to discuss the dire news.

Finally, the four absentees had arrived and took their seats. Ruby and Yang sat down, with the blonde looking straight at Nagata. She cracked her knuckles, still mad at him. He didn't pick up on it since he was focused on the meeting.

"OK, so what's so urgent?" Yang asked, not even attempting to hide her anger or her tone.

"We just found out where the last piece of the Forge is located," Ryuubi answered.

"Really?" Ruby asked. Finally, a chance to make up for her failure and prove herself. "Where is it?"

Those at the table looked fearful and nervous. Based on their expressions, it was more bad news than good news.

Finally, Iori answered, "It's in Go. The last piece is hidden in Go."

"But Go's heavily guarded by their Suika Arms, Lockvehicles and Inves. It would take a huge army to invade the capital, let alone the palace," said Bacho.

"Wait, I'm a bit lost," said Yang. "What's Go?"

Komei summarized, "The Kingdom of Go is one of the Three Great Kingdoms which include Shoku and Gi. Go has its own Armored War God, Zangetsu, who introduced the Lockseeds to our world. They basically have control over Lockseed exports and have gathered a huge array of Lockvehicles and Suika Lockseeds to be used by their army. They even use Inves to fight for them."

"But the last piece of the Forge of the Underworld is there, right?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, which will mean our enemies won't let anything stop them. They must have an army ready for a city-wide invasion."

"All those Grimm..." Ruby's eyes widened in realization. '_The people there too._'

"So what are we waiting for? Let's mount up and go," decided Yang.

"By the time we get there, it may already be too late," Nagata said sternly. Yang shot him a glare. Didn't he care about the people being attacked by the Grimm? Her opinion of him wasn't very high, and it only got lower with just that one sentence. However, Nagata was simply stating the truth, not making a concession. Their enemies were always a step ahead of them and were always the first to reach the pieces of the Forge. It was likely the same in Go with their next mission most likely yielding the same results.

They needed to get to Go and fast.

That was when Iori had an idea, a great idea, hopefully. "Not unless we use..." He was going to hate himself for even suggesting such a crazy plan, but they were short on time and options. He got everyone's attention as he continued, "...you know."

Nagata was the first to pick up on what Iori meant. "No, it's too risky."

"What's risky?" Yang inquired.

Chou'un filled her and Ruby in on what they meant, "They're thinking about traversing through Helheim."

"What's 'Helheim'?" Ruby asked.

"It's a dimension ruled by the Inves, a mysterious race," Komei answered.

"Like the one Nagata mentioned when he gave me the Ichigo Lockseed?" Ruby asked for clarification.

"Yes."

Yang asked again, "OK, so how does going through this Helheim place supposed to help us?"

Komei revealed the nature of the Helheim Forest, "The laws of Helheim work much differently from those that govern our world. Helheim doesn't just affect those that inhabit it, but also space itself."

Nagata and Iori had once tested how long it would take for them to travel from one city to the next by using Helheim as a sort of 'express way'. They managed to reach Chouhi's village from Touka Village in less than a minute, which would've normally taken a day or two if they had traveled on foot.

"Nagata-sama, I know it would be dangerous, and risky, but if we are to assist Go right now, we may not have any other choice," Komei said to her leader.

"You're right. We don't have time to consider alternatives. Gather the men, we'll take Helheim to Go," Nagata ordered. "Meeting adjourned."

* * *

After the conclusion of the meeting, everyone set out to prepare the soldiers for battle. They gathered all the men that they could spare and they all assembled outside of the village.

While Shoku did not have a Lockseed collection as abundant as Go, Iori did manage to get a few that could help. Unfortunately, they didn't get a lot of Lockvehicle Lockseeds.

"Ruby, what are you doing here?" Nagata asked as Ruby showed up with Yang.

"I'm coming with you," she insisted.

"But-"

"Look, she's coming and that's final," Yang interjected as she pressed a finger against Nagata's chest. Their eyes met. "Got a problem with that?"

Nagata grimaced. He had a feeling that Yang and Ruby would just find a way to join them, one way or another.

"Alright, but remember to take care of yourselves," he suggested.

"Yeah, yeah." Yang rolled her eyes at his concern. "So, how do we get to this Helheim place?"

"Easy," said Nagata.

* * *

An hour later, everyone was outside. Joining with them was a portion of their army who were ready to fight alongside their gods. With everyone attended, the time was now.

Nagata asked Iori, "Iori, you ready?"

"**BUDOU!"**

"You have to ask?" Iori returned as he loaded the Budou Lockseed into his Sengoku Driver.

"**LOCK ON!"**

"Good." Nagata unlocked his Orange Lockseed.

"**ORANGE! LOCK ON!"**

"Henshin!" both Riders call out before they hit their Cutting Blades.

"**SOIYA! ORANGE ARMS! HANAMICHI ON STAGE!"**

"**HAI~! BUDOU ARMS! RYU, HOU, HA-HA-HA!"**

Gaim, now in his signature Orange Arms armor, took out a Tulip Hopper Lockvehicle Lockseed. Normally, he wouldn't even consider using Helheim as a shortcut. There were too many risks, like the fruits' allure and the Inves that fed on the fruits. However, this really was an emergency, given the circumstances.

He unlocked the Lockseed and tossed it up. Yang and Ruby watched as the tiny lock expanded and parts shifted to become a mobile mechanical walker. It was green and quiet tall.

Gaim jumped and set his feet on the platform where the pilot would stand. He took hold of the controls and looked through the viewing screen.

"Here goes," said Gaim as he pressed the button and fired a laser. It cut through the air in a vertical fashion. The portal of Helheim tore open like a zipper, revealing the mysterious and alien foggy Forest of Helheim.

Just the sight of it sent chills down the spines of the soldiers they had assembled for this mission.

"Whoa..." Ruby awed at the portal.

Gaim dismounted from the Tulip Hopper and ordered Ryugen to mount it. He then walked over to Yang.

"Here." Gaim handed a Rose Attacker Lockvehicle Lockseed to Yang. "Since you're a natural riding a bike, I thought you could use this."

"Wait, how did you know-never mind." Yang gave up since they were on the clock. "So, all I got to do is push this button and it will turn into a bike?"

"Yeah, that's about the gist of it. But you won't be needing that now," Gaim replied.

"So, any special rules?" Ruby asked.

"Don't stray from the path, watch each other's back, and ignore the fruit. Whatever you do, do not go near the fruit," Gaim said sternly. "Now, come on."

Gaim led the way with Ryugen following on the Tulip Hopper. Shortly after they went into the portal, the soldiers, the Shoku Warriors, Ruby and Yang entered.

Ruby was the last to step through the portal before it zipped close behind her. She glanced back at the now closed portal but then her focus was shifted as she took a moment to admire Helheim Forest.

"So, _this _is Helheim?" Ruby asked.

"Yes," Kanu confirmed. She had been here before, having followed Zangetsu and his Lockseed Harvesters with Nagata when they last visited Go.

"It's...beautiful..." Helheim was an incredibly bizarre realm. This was the home of the Inves, and Ruby could have never imagined a realm quite as alien as this. The flowers that grew here could make any gardener jealous. It was so alive.

Initially, the Armored War Gods only ever venture into Helheim Forest in order to harvest Lockseeds. Zangetsu took advantage of it to build up his Lockseed Distribution Department. There were even times they used the Helheim Forest for training as they used the Inves as living training dummies. They did explore the place from time-to-time, mapping out specific locations and sites...like the ruins.

Helheim Forest was once home to an entire civilization, but now it was gone, with the only evidence of their existence were the ancient ruins. That was a place Gaim wanted to avoid. It just seemed so eerie and unwelcoming.

"Be careful," Gaim warned. "This place may look like paradise, but..." Gaim stopped as he heard sounds, inhuman ones. Everyone saw that among the trees, the Inves of Helheim gathered to curiously watch the invaders. "We should hurry."

"Y-yeah." Ruby felt uneasy with all those eyes on her.

"Iori, do you know where to go next?" Gaim asked.

Ryugen checked the screen for where the exit portal to Go might be located. He reported, "We're close. It's not very far from here. We'll get there shortly just as long as we don't stray from our path."

Yang's gaze wandered as she looked around. She still had trouble believing such a realm existed. The plants looked so weird to her, and the environment was foreign beyond her understanding, and then there was the fruit...the delicious fruit.

Yang licked her lips as her gaze focused on the fruit which hung from the vines. She reached out with her hand and plucked a fruit off the vine. It came off easily. The fruit looked weird, but it smelled so good. Her mouth watered as she peeled off the skin.

She remembered hearing something about the fruit being bad for her, but one bite couldn't hurt, could it?

"YANG!"

Yang gasped as the fruit in her hand was smacked out of her hand.

"Wha-wha-what!?" Yang uttered in shock as she held her head and recovered her senses. "What just happened?"

"It was the allure of the fruit," Gaim explained. "It has hypnotic properties that tempt people to eat it." It was why he had his soldiers and officers eat their fill earlier. A full stomach meant that the fruit's hypnotic effect won't be as strong. It was easier to resist when you had a full stomach. Also his officers knew what would happen if they ate the fruit. Knowing the consequences of eating the fruit made it even less appetizing.

"Whoa, that's spooky," Yang responded, surprised.

"You're right about that, and that's taking it lightly. If you had eaten that fruit, you might as well be dead," he said grimly.

Yang paled. She had nearly eaten a poisonous fruit.

Ruby took her big sister's hand. "Come on, Yang. We can't stray too far."

"R-right," Yang agreed and allowed Ruby to drag her back to the group. Gaim watched them go. He was relieved. They were lucky that Ruby noticed her sister had wandered away. He really didn't want to think about what would happen if Yang had eaten the fruit, or what he may have to do if she had. He looked down at the fruit Yang had nearly eaten and squashed it under his boot.

The Helheim Fruit might give them the Lockseeds they needed to use their powers, but in their raw form they were nothing but a parasitic plague. The Inves were proof.

* * *

Meanwhile, in the capital city of Go, the fear of the Grimm attacking was fully realized. The dark beasts, consisting of Beowolves, Ursai, Nevermores and Death Stalkers were destroying everything in sight. The citizens fled in panic, screaming as the monsters suddenly appeared. However, all that fear and panic just drew the Grimm towards them.

A King Taijitu, a huge snake-like Grimm with heads on both ends of its body, burst straight out of the ground in front of a group of stragglers, blocking their path. It hissed at them threateningly as they backed away from the giant snake monster.

It looked like they were going to die right here.

"Mama..." a young boy hugged his mother, with tears of fear streaming down his face.

"It'll be OK." She tried to comfort her son, even if it was a lie. "Just be brave. Be brave because the Armored War Gods will save us."

The boy believed her and she hugged her son close to shield him from the Grimm.

Suddenly, her prayers were answered, as a rain of firepower struck the beasts down. The citizens gazed up and spotted a Suika Arms in Gyro Mode being piloted by Zangetsu. He was leading a unit of Dandeliners.

"It's Zangetsu-sama!"

"He's come to save us!"

"Praise him! Praise the Armored War Gods!"

"Captain, I'm heading down to help evacuate the citizens," Zangetsu informed the unit's captain who nodded. "Provide covering fire for me."

"Yes, sir," the captain obeyed.

"**YOROI MODE!"**

Zangetsu quickly descended as his Suika Arms transformed into its robotic warrior form. He landed, brandishing the Suika Sojinto, while facing the Grimm as he resolved to save these people.

"Run, we'll cover you," Zangetsu instructed and the people did not think twice before they fled. The remaining Grimm tried to lunge at the escaping citizens, but the Dandeliners immediately gunned them down, creating a safe path for them to escape the Grimm.

Zangetsu did not waste any time, either. A Beowolf became his next victim as he flattened it with his fist. Another tried to attack him from behind, but it was sliced in half at the waist by his Suika Sojinto. The King Taijitu lunged, mouth wide open to swallow him whole, but Zangetsu jumped and plunged his blade down on the creature's neck before severing its head. The second head came into play but Zangetsu was quick as he sliced it straight down the middle. Both halves of the head fell on either side of Zangetsu.

The rest of the beasts were being blasted by Zangetsu, clearing this area of the threat. Satisfied with the results, for now, Zangetsu contacted his comrades.

Zangetsu called, "Fuyu, all is clear here. What's your status?" It was fortunate that their helmets came included with comlinks. That way, they could stay in touch in spite of the distance separating them.

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, Kamuro reported, "I'm just getting started here, Sempai." His bracelet glowed as he commanded the summoned Inves to attack. The soldiers remained in position, holding their Lockseeds to summon the Inves. The Grimm retaliated against the numerous Berserker State Inves and a few Evolved State Inves that emerged from the portals. It was Inves against Grimm in an epic monster brawl, but the Go forces had an advantage since Kamuro could control and coordinate their monsters.

Nevermores were being incinerated by an Evolved Suzaku Inves while an Evolved Inoshishi Inves battled against the Boarbatusk. Kamuro ran past them as he used his staff, striking the Grimm down.

Maintaining control over the Inves while in the heat of battle wasn't easy, but he managed to do it. However, he wasn't about to let the Inves have all the fun.

"Prepare to be smited!"

"**SOIYA! SILVER AU LAIT!"**

He conjured a giant apple made of silver and blue energy before he smashed his staff into it, launching it. It hit and destroyed several Grimm in its path before it crashed into an Ursa Major, destroying it on the spot.

* * *

"Natsu, what about you?" Zangetsu asked as he spotted several more Grimm coming his way.

* * *

Mars laughed as he beheaded an Ursa.

"Taking care of these monsters as we speak, Sempai!"

Tulip Hoppers were backing him up, their pilots firing at the Grimm. He bashed a Beowolf with his shield and hit his Cutting Blade.

"**COME ON! GOLDEN SQUASH!"**

"Here I come!" Mars' sword glowed and he dashed forward, leaving a golden trail as he zipped around, slashing with his glowing sword. "And again!"

"**COME ON! GOLDEN SQUASH!"**

He launched apples made of gold and red energy like missiles, blowing up every Grimm in sight.

"Oh yeah! I'm awesome!" bragged Mars.

* * *

Zangetsu nodded and looked skyward at the Nevermores that had arrived. Fortunately, the Dandeliners were firing on the airborne Grimm. He was about to join them, when a Boarbatusk suddenly tackled into him and sent him crashing into a nearby porcelain shop. Many porcelain plates, bottles, jars and pots were destroyed as he smashed through the entire shop's inventory.

Grumbling in anger, Zangetsu rose back up and glared at the remaining Grimm. The ones that were slain were slowly dissolving into nothing.

"You beasts dare to attack Go?" Zangetsu demanded. "Go to Hell!" The Beowolves lunged at him but he managed to take them down with precise slashes of his Suika Sojinto. He also kicked a Beowolf away and pierced it through the skull.

A Death Stalker charged at him and swung its tail, but Zangetsu leapt backwards before firing his Seed Vulcan at it.

"**SOIYA! SUIKA SQUASH!"**

Zangetsu twirled the Suika Sojinto above his head and sent a giant watermelon made of energy to engulf the Death Stalker. The scorpion-like monster shrieked as it tried to break free. Unfortunately, it never got the chance to escape as Zangetsu used his Suika Sojinto to slice it to pieces. He then started to slice the Grimm apart as his airborne support gunned down the avian Nevermores.

* * *

The group from Shoku exited from Helheim Forest and stepped right into the middle of a disaster. They heard explosions all around them. They were all over the city.

Gaim ordered, "It's already starting! Everyone, move!" The group ran towards the heart of the city. All around they could see chaos, destruction, and confusion, as the Grimm were running rampant. They caused more and more fear and panic, drawing more Grimm towards the innocent citizens.

* * *

After slaying another Grimm, Zangetsu received communication.

It was one of his soldiers who cried out, "_The Northern perimeter has been breached! If anyone's hearing this, we're being overrun!_"

The news caused Zangetsu to soar towards the next area in crisis. "Hang in there soldier! I'm heading your way!"

"_Look out!"_

"_Hold them back! Hold them-zzzzz"_

The transmission was lost. The soldier was probably dead.

Zangetsu raged as he took off. One of his men was gone but he'll make sure his death will be avenged.

* * *

A Tulip Hopper lay broken along with its pilot before an Ursa crushed them under its weight. The Northern perimeter of the wall that surrounded the city had been breached and more Grimm were pouring in, almost endlessly, causing the Go soldiers stationed to pull back. They were losing ground with every passing second.

The Inves were sent to even the odds and engage the threat. The Elementary Inves grappled and struck down the opposing monsters, but a Boarbatusk rolled over many of the Elementary Inves, killing them.

A large Beowolf picked up an Elementary Inves and tore it in half before tossing the halves away. It howled at the Go soldiers who were trying to hold their ground in the face of such horror.

Zangetsu landed his Suika Arms and stabbed the Beowolf through the stomach with his Suika Sojinto. He withdrew his blade and beheaded the beast, its head rolling away as its body toppled over.

"There's that-ARGH!" Zangetsu's Suika Arms was suddenly caught in the grip of a Death Stalker. It tried to crush him while stinging at him. The armor was strong, but it was starting to buckle under the pressure. It was time to abandon it.

"_**MELON ENERGY!"**_

The Suika Arms exploded, breaking to pieces, causing the Death Stalker to shriek as it held nothing but air. Then, all of a sudden, it was being assaulted by a salvo of energy arrows.

"_**SODA! MELON ENERGY ARMS!"**_

Descending from the air was Zangetsu-Shin and he was firing at the Death Stalker. He landed in front of it and hit the Seaboll Compressor twice.

"_**MELON ENERGY SPARKING!"**_

Taking aim at the sky, Zangetsu-Shin pulled the Sonic Arrow's shaft, bowstring stretched, before he released the charge. The charge at the tip was released as an energy arrow that reached the sky, trailing a huge melon behind it before the energy melon exploded. Multiple green energy arrows rained down and fell upon the Grimm. Many managed to evade the raining arrows, but the largest target, the Death Stalker, had taken the most damaged and collapsed.

Zangetsu-Shin faced the Grimm, covering the injured soldiers. He wasn't going to leave them like lambs to a slaughter. He was going to take care of things here, get them to safety, and then help anyone who needed his assistance.

Suddenly, multiple shots hit the Grimm, pushing them back. Zangetsu-Shin then saw who had come to his aid.

"Oda-kun? Ryugen-kun?"

"Good, we made it," said Gaim, relieved. Zangetsu-Shin saw that Gaim and Ryugen hadn't come alone. They had brought their forces here.

"What are you doing here?" Zangetsu-Shin asked.

"Look, Zangetsu. We need your help," Gaim started.

"We're a bit busy here, as you can see," Zangetsu-Shin retorted.

"I know. That's why we're here. Long story short, there's a piece of an artifact called the Forge of the Underworld hidden here and there's someone after it and he's using these creatures here to spread your forces thin," Gaim explained.

"So, this whole thing was just a distraction," Zangetsu-Shin said as he clenched his fists in anger. If what Gaim said was true, that meant Sonsaku and the rest of the Son Clan were in grave danger. "You have my aid, but my men are injured and I can't leave an ongoing battle."

"We brought our men too," Gaim said.

"I hope you can provide support then."

"We can." Gaim delivered his orders, "Iori, you and Yang drive around the streets and search for survivors. Contact Kamuro or Mars if you find any."

"On it." Ryugen activated his bike along with Yang.

"Shion, I need you to help provide them with covering fire." Kochu complied and joined the archers.

Gaim pointed at Bacho and Batai, "Sui, Tanpopo, take these men to safety and hold this position." Gaim turned his attention to his remaining party. "The rest of us are going to the royal palace to get that piece!"

"Allow me to lead the way! I know a shortcut!" Zangetsu-Shin offered.

* * *

Watching the entire scene from the tallest of buildings, the leader of the Armored War Devils awed at the sight.

It was expected that Wendigo will suffer heavy losses when attacking at Go but seeing it on sight really shows that Go lives up to its reputation as a powerful kingdom.

Duke could observe the other commanders who took part in this operation. Wendigo sent out Ranha and Hu while Duke took part while also bringing along Kagemusha. The others stayed behind and made sure the other pieces were secured.

Duke received a message from Ranha. "_We managed to overrun the east side_."

Duke responded, "Keep them occupied. I'll handle the rest." As he said this, he noticed a certain group he was familiar with heading towards the palace. He frowned. "Well, guess I should've expected _this_."

* * *

The dock was empty when Ensho's ship arrived. No surprise there with all the chaos erupting all around them. Immediately, Haru and Blake got off the ship.

"Reiha-chan, you stay here with Toshi and Iishe. Girls, look after yourselves, OK?" Haru instructed.

"Of course, my love. Please, be careful!" Ensho told him.

"Don't worry." Haru flicked his nose with his thumb confidently. "We got this." He strapped on his Sengoku Driver and activated his signature Lockseed.

"**KURUMI!"**

"Henshin!"

"**KURUMI ARMS! MISTER KNUCKLEMAN!"**

With his armor and signature weapons equipped, Haru Hattori, aka Armored War God Knuckle, was ready for battle.

"Let's go, Kit!"

Blake nodded as she unsheathed her Gambol Shroud and the two head towards the heart of the conflict. As they ran deeper into the city, they saw the chaos. They saw all the smoke, fire, destruction and death. They saw bodies of people who couldn't get away in time, and blood was splattered everywhere.

There were still people trying to get away as the Inves and Grimm fought. It was senseless violence everywhere, complete and utter chaos.

It was unforgivable in Blake's eyes.

The cat Faunus was outraged at the Grimm for taking so many innocent lives. However, she also felt remorse. Part of her blamed herself, thinking that she might've caused the Grimm to come here. Still, she was going to make things right. Her goal was to become a true Huntress, and that meant stopping the Grimm here and now as it was her duty.

Running alongside her, Knuckle's memory took him back to the Fall of Rakuyo. He saw all the bodies that were gathered after the rain put out the fire. By then, it was too late. Nobody survived. He wished he could've saved them, like he wished he could've saved the people here in Go that had died. As that was no longer possible, the only possible course of action he had left was to save those he could and kill all the Grimm here.

He didn't even need to think twice as he pushed his Cutting Blade, twice, over his Kurumi Lockseed, activating the Au Lait finisher system.

"**KURUMI AU LAIT!"**

"HI-YAH!" Throwing a punch, he sent one of his Kurumi Bombers flying like a missile. His target was an Ursa who didn't even realize his attack until it was too late. The Kurumi Bomber blasted a hole right in its chest before it flew around and returned to its sender.

A nearby Ursa saw this and charged right at Knuckle. Seeing the big black demonic bear coming, Knuckle spread his legs and held his ground. Once it came in range, he raised his fist and hit it with a destructive uppercut that exploded the Ursa's upper body to chunks. He kicked down the legs that remained standing before he moved on to slay more Grimm.

Up ahead, Blake spotted a pack of Beowolves feasting on the corpses of their slain victims. Enraged by this sight, she threw herself at the pack and stabbed a Beowolf with her Gambol Shroud. Moments later, she tore the Beowolf in half as she landed on her feet.

The rest of the pack dropped what they were doing. Anger, rage, fury, they could feel it all coming off Blake. They were drawn to it. Abandoning their feast, the Beowolves went on the attack. Blake used a Shadow Clone to avoid a swipe then sliced open a throat of a Beowolf before she dealt with the rest.

A Nevermore swooped down and flapped its wings, firing its razor-sharp feathers at Blake. Seeing this, Knuckle rushed in front of Blake and hit his Cutting Blade thrice.

"**KURUMI SPARKING!"**

A walnut-shaped dome of energy erected itself around them, protecting them from the assault.

"Thanks," Blake said.

"Always here to help, Kit," Knuckle replied. He looked up to see the Nevermore trying to break the barrier with its talons but then it was riddled with holes by the aerial Dandeliner unit.

"THANK YOU!" Knuckle waved at the Dandeliner pilots.

"Come on. We're still not done here," prompted Blake as she jumped ahead to find more Grimm.

"Right behind you, Kit."

* * *

Meanwhile, Ryugen and Yang were speeding down the street. They saw the Grimm up ahead and sped up to confront them.

"We need to clear out the Grimm in the area! Think you can manage?" Ryugen asked his partner.

"Just watch me!" Yang responded smugly.

Ryugen took out his Budou Ryuhou and fired at the Grimm in his path. Like a drive-by shooting, he gunned down the Grimm and moved on to gun down some more. Yang, however, decided to abandon her bike and leapt high into the air. She focused her eyes on a Beowolf then pulled her fist back. She crashed down and shattered its skull with a single punch. Rising to her feet, she saw Ryugen dismount and fire at more Grimm with his Budou Ryuhou.

They were joined by several soldiers who had summoned their Inves to deal with the Grimm. Yang couldn't help but be a bit apprehensive when she saw the Helheim monsters, but if they were fighting against the Grimm they at least proved useful.

An Evolved Shika Inves was smashing down the Beowolves, but a small pack latched onto the Inves and began taking bites out of it. Roaring, the Evolved Shika Inves grabbed hold of the pests and smashed them violently. It dropped their bodies as they died, moving on to kill more of the invaders.

A Beowolf made a lunge for Ryugen's back, but he spun on his heel and fired it right in the face. It soared right over Ryugen before falling dead.

"Nice shooting there, Tex," Yang praised. However, further compliments would have to wait and things were getting more serious, and possibly even worse. A few more Beowolves were entering the area followed by a Boarbatusk. They all looked pissed as hell.

"OK, let's take them out," said Yang.

"**PITAYA! LOCK ON! HAI~! PITAYA ARMS! RYUJIN, HOU, HOH! HOH! HOH!"**

"Yes, let's take them all out," Ryugen agreed as he hefted the Pitaya Ryujin Hou and fired a shell at the Boarbatusk. It exploded to pieces in mid-charge. Yang grinned and punched the Beowolves into the air before she jumped and grabbed one before she smashed it to the ground with a piledriver. The other Beowolves were coming back down. Ryugen aimed and blasted them to smithereens with his Pitaya Ryujin Hou as Yang took care of the last one with a punch to the head, blasting its head to pieces.

Ryugen put away his weapon as he mounted his vehicle again.

"Come on. We still need to clear out more of these things," Ryugen instructed.

Yang smirked and climbed back on her bike before they sped off. Looking at the rear view mirrors, they saw more Grimm following them.

"Lead them to an open area without civilians," Ryugen instructed.

"On it!" Yang agreed.

However, suddenly, the Grimm that pursuing them were taken out by another party.

"**KURUMI SQUASH!"**

"SOI-RYAH!" Knuckle yelled as he performed a dropkick that killed one of the Grimm. Then a figure in black and white just swung in and drove her blade into the back of a Grimm's neck. The sound of gunfire followed.

Yang turned her bike around and stopped to see who it was.

"Blake!" Yang yelled.

Blake's ribbon twitched and she looked up to the girl who called her name.

"Yang, is that you?"

Yang got off her bike and ran over to her partner to give her a hug. "Blake, it really is you!"

Ryugen stopped and dismounted to see the reunion. Knuckle joined him.

"So, guess Kit found her friends, or at least one of them," Knuckle remarked.

"I'd ask why she was with you, but I don't think we have time for Q&amp;A," Ryugen said as he pointed at the oncoming Grimm.

"Ugh!" Knuckle grimaced in annoyance. "There's no end to these things!"

"Yang! You can enjoy your reunion later! Enemies are heading our way!" Ryugen shouted as he brought out his Pitaya Ryujin Hou.

"Whaddya say, Blake? Ready to slay some monsters?" Yang asked.

Blake smiled back and cocked her gun before they all turned to face the horde together.

Yang and Knuckle attacked at close-range, using their fists to put the Grimm down. Their punches were devastating as none of the Grimm could survive beyond the initial blow. It really helped that they knew where to hit: the squishy soft parts. The Grimm that sported more armor were tougher to beat, but Ryugen took them down with his Pitaya Ryujin Hou. Blake was using her agility and speed to her advantage, attacking Grimm from their blind spots. She used her Shadow Clones as a diversion before she struck the Grimm down.

"HELP! PLEASE, SOMEONE, HELP US!"

"ZANGETSU-SAMA, PLEASE SAVE US!"

The Huntresses and Riders heard voices coming from a nearby pile of rubble and quickly ran over to it. A small gape in the pile allowed Ryugen to peer inside to see a group of citizens that were trapped underneath.

"Are you...yes, you are! You're an Armored War God!" one of the citizens identified happily.

"Don't worry! We'll get you out!" Ryugen told them. "Come on, we need to get them out of there!"

Knuckle and Yang took hold of the biggest piece of debris.

"Now, push!" Ryugen ordered.

Knuckle and Yang tossed the huge piece of debris away, freeing the trapped citizens.

A group of soldiers arrived and Ryugen instructed them, "Take these people to safety, and hurry. We don't know how long until more of those things come here."

"So, if you're here, does that mean the others came here too?" Blake asked.

"I don't know where Weiss is, but Ruby's here," Yang answered.

"She's with the rest of my group to help them find an important item," Ryugen interjected.

"I see."

"Incoming!" Knuckle pointed as another horde came charging in.

"Great, looks like we still got this to deal with." Yang clenched her fists.

* * *

The palace was under attack. A barricade had been set up in front of the entrance, barring entry to the attacking Grimm. Right now, the guards' priority was the safety of the royal family.

"Men, do not show fear before these monsters! Fight on! For the Glory of Go!" Kannei ordered.

"For the Glory of Go!" the guards chorused.

Kannei addressed their queen and her sisters, "Sonsaku-sama, we need to get you and the others to safety. Follow me to the basement level."

"Our lives are in your hands, Kannei," replied Sonsaku.

"But what about Zan-niichan?" Sonshoko asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, Shaoren," Sonsaku told her youngest sister. "Zangetsu will save us. I know he will."

Suddenly, the barricade broke and the doors burst open. Standing in the doorway was an Ursa Major and it let out a roar. Smaller Ursa Minor began to fill up the hallway. The soldiers stood their ground but were immediately overwhelmed by the larger Ursa.

"RUN!" Kannei shouted and she fled with the royal family. The Ursai were busy tearing apart the guards but it wouldn't be long until they started chasing after the fleeing royal family.

One of the Ursai was already giving chase, but Shuutai quickly intercepted and threw her kunai at it. They struck it in the eye. This left it vulnerable as she slit its throat.

"Get to the basement!" Shuutai shouted. More guards joined her to hold the Grimm off. "Kannei-dono, hurry!"

The Ursai charged at the guards who raised their shield, blocking their path. However, the Ursa Major broke through their blockade with a single swipe of its claw. Shuutai was knocked painfully against the wall.

Shuutai groaned but then froze up as the Ursa Major looked straight at her. She tried to pick up her sword, but was frozen in fear. It sniffed her then turned its head away to look down the hallway. It then growled and followed the royal family.

Kannei saw the Ursa Major gaining on them and skidded to a stop.

"Kannei!" Sonken shouted.

"Sonken-sama, go with your sisters! I'll hold this beast off!" Kannei instructed.

"No! It'll kill you!" Sonken protested.

"Please! Do as I say!" Kannei shot back.

The Ursa Major roared and then it brought its huge paw down to crush Kannei.

"KANNEI!" Sonken screamed.

"NO!" Sonshoko yelled out.

"_**MELON ENERGY!"**_

Suddenly, a salvo of energy arrows pierced the Ursa Major. Its bone plate armor did nothing to defend it as it was filled with holes. The Ursa Major stood on its hind legs for a moment before its weight forced it to collapse on the floor.

A figure in white, clad in melon-themed armor, stood over the fallen Ursa Major. Standing next to him was Shuutai and behind them were the dead remains of the other Grimm.

Sonsaku and her sisters froze in surprise but were elated.

"You okay there?" Zangetsu-Shin asked the captain of the guard.

"I'm fine," Kannei responded. "Thank goodness you came just in time, Zangetsu-sama."

"Sonsaku-sama, Renfa-sama, Shao-chan. Are you all alright? Are any of you injured?" Zangetsu asked the royal family.

"Zan-niichan!" Sonshoko rushed forward to hug her beloved big brother. "You came! You saved us!"

"As you can see, you came just in time. You have saved us yet again," said Sonsaku.

"It's what I do, Sonsaku-sama," Zangetsu-Shin replied.

"Still, you were cutting it a bit close," replied Sonken.

"Apologies. I had a few things to take care of along the way."

A shadow was creeping up behind Zangetsu-Shin.

"Kannei, were you about to take them to safety?" Zangetsu-Shin asked.

"Yes, down in the basement," Kannei confirmed.

"Good, now go. More of those things might be coming and I'd feel a lot better if you were all someplace safe."

"What about you, Zan-niichan?"

"I'll stay and take care of things up here. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"_**No, you won't."**_

The shadow behind Zangetsu-Shin sprang out like a mousetrap, taking him completely by surprise. Sonshoko screamed as the shadow pinned him to the floor before it solidified. The figure then picked Zangetsu-Shin up and smashed him against the wall before it slammed him back to the floor, pinning him down with a foot pressed on his back.

The shadow turned out to be Hu of the Grimm Claw.

"Get off him!" Sonsaku ordered.

Kannei and Shuutai attacked but Hu smacked them away and knocked them out. "You will not interfere."

Zangetsu-Shin gritted his teeth as he was pinned under Hu's foot. "Don't you dare hurt them!"

Hu's eyes glowed. At the entrance, the Ursai responded to his call and rushed to their location. The family grimaced as the attackers were heading in their direction.

"No!" Zangetsu shouted.

"Take them," Hu ordered.

The Ursai did as they were told. The beasts slowly approached and surrounded the royal family.

Suddenly, Gaim arrived with his comrades. He pulled his sword out and sliced the Ursa down.

Kanu and Chou'un readied their spears to free Zangetsu from Hu who responded by leaping away before the two women could impale him.

Gaim provided cover fire, pushing Hu back even more.

Gaim asked, "Is everyone OK?"

"As usual, your timing is impeccable," Zangetsu-Shin praised as he let himself get up.

When they arrived, the Grimm were blocking the way. Gaim and his team helped to take care of them so Zangetsu-Shin could enter the palace.

"Didn't feel right to let you go on alone, not after you brought us here," said Gaim.

"Damn you..." Hu cursed.

"Looks like we've got to deal with this now," said Gaim as he summoned his Daidaimaru and drew his Musou Saber.

"No." Zangetsu-Shin stepped forward to confront Hu. "You do what you have to do. I'll handle this."

Kanu and Ryuubi were helping up Kannei and Shuutai who were starting to regain consciousness.

"Nagata-sama, we need to get them to safety," Kanu advised.

"Right," Gaim agreed.

"The...basement..." Kannei groaned.

"Right, the basement," Gaim nodded. "And where's that exactly?"

"Follow me," Sonsaku instructed.

As they ran down the hallway to find the basement, Zangetsu-Shin readied himself to face his opponent. "So, you're the one responsible for this attack. You will pay for your crimes."

"You won't stop us, White Devil," Hu sneered.

"Oh, we'll see about that."

* * *

Gaim and his team escorted Sonsaku and her family to the basement. There was a trapdoor in the floorboards that would grant them entry. It was hidden under a carpet.

Kannei and Shuutai had recovered enough to climb down the ladder that led into the basement. Sonken and Sonshoko also climbed down. This left Sonsaku to address the Shoku Faction.

"Thank you for coming to our aid," said Sonsaku gratefully.

"It's what we do," Gaim and Ruby said confidently.

"Look, I just have to ask, do you know anything about something called the 'Forge of the Underworld'?" asked Gaim.

Suddenly, Shuyu's head poked out from the trapdoor. "Did someone mention the Forge of the Underworld?"

"Gah!" Kanu and Chouhi cried in shock.

"Meirin, were you hiding down there this whole time?" Sonsaku frowned.

"Forgive me, but I did send Kannei to go and get you. Everyone else is already down here," Shuyu said.

"So, you know about the Forge then?" asked Gaim.

"I've read about it, yes. So, a piece of it is in Go?" asked Shuyu.

"Yeah, and Komei managed to find us directions," said Gaim. "According to her, it's on the palace grounds someplace."

"Do you have those directions?" Sonsaku asked.

Gaim handed her the rolled up sheet of paper. Sonsaku looked at it and recognized them. "Ah, I see. You see this? This is that storehouse where we kept that medicine you needed." She smirked down at Shuyu. "Do you remember that storehouse, Meirin?"

Shuyu blushed. Of course she remembered that storehouse. They had makeup sex in there. Gaim remembered it as well. It was when they caught Natsu and Kogai together, in the nude, right after sex.

"I don't think any of us could ever forget that storehouse," Gaim muttered. "Thank you. We'll get right on it."

Sonsaku nodded and then she went and gave Gaim a kiss. He might be wearing a helmet, but that didn't stop him from blushing. Kanu and Ryuubi, in their jealousy, pulled him away.

"You know, you should consider a much closer alliance with us. I'm sure Shaoren will grow up to be a lovely young woman in the future," Sonsaku winked suggestively before she climbed down the ladder and into the basement.

"Did she just...?" Gaim started.

"Come on, Nagata-sama! We have a piece to find!" Kanu insisted as she dragged him by the arm.

"Yes, Nagata-sama! We have an important mission!" added Ryuubi.

Ruby cluelessly watched the spectacle with Chou'un and Chouhi. "So...what just happened?"

"You'll figure it out. Come on, let's go," Chouhi smirked.

The group exited the palace to find the storehouse. They didn't have to look far. Gaim could never forget it, no matter how much he tried.

Chou'un stepped forward and with a mighty swing broke the lock with her spear.

"The door's open for you, Nagata-sama," Chou'un smirked.

"Thanks," Gaim nodded. They went in and scanned around for any clues or leads. "OK, so according to Komei, the entrance is somewhere in the floor."

"But there's so much stuff in here, Nagata-niichan," said Chouhi.

"Then we need to start looking. Just try not to break-"

There was a loud crash and everyone looked up to see Chouhi standing next to a broken jar.

"She did it!" Chouhi hastily pointed at Ruby, shifting the blame.

"Wait, what!?" Ruby yelped.

"OK, let's try not to break any more stuff," Gaim amended. "Aisha, watch Rinrin so she doesn't break any more stuff."

They carefully looked for any clues that could be a trapdoor. Ruby's eyes narrowed as she scanned the floor. She tapped on it with her Crescent Rose. She kept tapping until she found part of the floor that sounded different.

She tapped it again.

It sounded almost...hollow.

"Guys! Guys! I think I found it!" Ruby called.

They all gathered around the spot. Gaim knelt down and tapped it with the back of his hand.

"Yeah, sounds hollow. Seems the trapdoor was sealed shut with masonry. We need to break it open," said Gaim.

There was the sound of a gun cocking as Ruby aimed the Crescent Rose's muzzle down on the spot.

"Stand back, guys. I got this," said Ruby.

She fired, breaking off a piece of the floor. She did this several more times, revealing a hidden trapdoor. It looked old, but still sturdy. Gaim gripped the handle and struggled because of the old rusty hinges, but managed to get it open.

What was revealed to them was a hidden flight of stairs.

"Looks like we're the first to find it," Gaim smiled. "Come on, let's go in and get that piece before they show up."

"Right, let's go." Ruby stepped forward but Gaim barred her way.

"No, you're staying up here," he ordered.

Ruby remembered why he was being so overprotective, but then brushed it off.

"No, I'm coming with you. Besides, do you really think you can stop me?" Ruby challenged.

"It'll be dangerous," he argued.

"No more dangerous than fighting Grimm, which you did see me do, right? Or have you forgotten?"

OK, she was good at slaying Grimm. He could not deny that.

"Nagata-sama," Kanu prompted.

"Fine, come along, Ruby," Gaim conceded.

Gaim led the way as he climbed down first, followed by Kanu, Ryuubi, Chou'un, Ruby and Chouhi. They didn't notice that someone was spying on them.

They walked down the stairs that led them into an underground hallway. Torches lined the wall. They were dead, but as soon as they stepped into the hallway, the torches magically lit up all by themselves.

"Freaky," Gaim remarked.

"Yet convenient," added Chou'un.

"Gaim-sama, are you sure this place is safe?" Kanu asked.

"Am I sure? No," Gaim answered.

She muttered, "You could've lied to make me feel better."

"This is uncharted territory for all of us, Aisha. Anything could happen. So keep your guard up," said Gaim.

"I will, Nagata-sama," said Kanu. "Lead the way."

The hallway was silent, with the only noise being the rumbling they could hear from what was happening above them. A battle was going on, and the only way they could stop it was to get that piece of the Forge.

Ruby gazed around in fascination. The walls had writing on them, with the Emperor's emblem on parts of the wall. For a moment, Ruby stopped and turned, aiming her Crescent Rose at whatever might be sneaking up on them.

But there was nothing there.

"What's wrong?" Chouhi asked.

"It's nothing. Just thought there was someone following us. Never mind. Let's go," Ruby answered.

They continued on their way, not realizing that there was some truth in young Ruby's words as a transparent figure stood behind them, watching them.

"Nagata-sama, I'm a little concerned of what dangers we might face and what obstacles may stand in our way," said Chou'un. "I mean, we had to face living trees in a swamp, Iori-sama's group had an encounter with giant apes on a snowy mountain."

"So you think we might have another obstacle ahead of us?" Gaim asked.

"Well, one place was humid, while the other was cold, so it will only be logical that we might be entering-"

The hallway ended over a lake of pure lava.

"A hot spot," Chou'un frowned.

"How in the hell did they put a lake of lava down here!?" Gaim demanded.

The hallway had ended, but there was still a path. Unfortunately, it wasn't a bridge. Stone pillars stood tall with flat platforms on each. They lined up in a single straight path, the only path. One wrong step could spell doom for anyone who fell into the lake of lava. At the very end of the path of pillars was a ledge with an altar. The altar resembled a dragon head with its jaws wide open. Sitting in the jaws was the last piece of the Forge.

"I think the last piece is there!" Ryuubi shouted as she pointed at the altar.

"And the only way to get it is to cross this lake of lava," Gaim grimaced. He was sweating under his armor. "OK, no turning back now." He looked over his shoulder. "Ruby, you stay here with Touka and Rinrin. The rest of you, come with me."

Gaim took a deep breath and jumped. He landed on the first pillar and staggered a bit while regaining his balance. He looked down at the lava lake under him and gulped. He didn't know if his armor would be able to protect him from the lava, but he wasn't about to test it here.

Gaim jumped and landed on another pillar. There were four more pillars between him and the ledge. He jumped, one at a time, until he reached the ledge. He put his hands upon his knees and sighed in relief.

"OK, Aisha, you're next!"

Kanu followed the same path, leaping from one pillar to the other.

"Remember, one wrong move and you're dead," Gaim warned.

"Yes, Nagata-sama. I would _love _to be reminded of my impending doom," Kanu retorted sarcastically before she reached him.

"And I thought a warrior wasn't afraid to die," he joked.

"Doesn't mean we chase death so readily."

"Hey, can you both stop flirting for once?" Chou'un teased. "Thank you."

Chou'un followed and she landed on the ledge as well. "That wasn't so bad. Kinda like a game of hopscotch."

"Yeah, but in hopscotch, you don't die if your jump is off," Gaim countered. "Now, let's take a look at this last piece."

Gaim examined the altar for a closer look. It did look frightening, especially the eyes that seemed to have a soul-piercing gaze fixed to them. But he wasn't interested in the altar, but what was resting inside of it. Within the jaws, resting on what looked like the dragon's tongue, was the piece of the Forge that they were hunting for. It looked like a set of three sharp and curved talons, made of pristine steel that looked brand new. It did not show its age as it still seemed perfectly polished.

"Guess this is it," said Gaim. "The last piece."

"Good, let's grab it and go," Chou'un suggested.

"Hold on. Doesn't this feel like it's too easy?" Gaim cautioned.

"What are you worried about?" Chou'un asked.

"It's just that, these things never turn out as easy as they seem. I was kinda expecting some kind of obstacle."

"You worry too much, Nagata-sama."

Meanwhile, Chouhi, Ryuubi and Ruby were waiting in the hallway. Curiously, Ryuubi peered down and did not like what she was seeing. The fall was pretty high, but it was what waited for them at the bottom that truly terrified her. Their fate was sealed if they fell into that bubbling lake of lava.

"That's a really nasty fall," Ryuubi gulped as she looked down at the lava lake.

"Really hot too." Chouhi wiped the sweat off her brow.

"Toasty, way too toasty," grimaced Ruby. Then her ears picked up a noise. It sounded like beeping. She turned around and saw a golden energy arrow flashing as it headed towards them. Quickly, Ruby deflected the energy arrow with her Crescent Rose and the projectile hit the ceiling.

Someone was attacking them!

Ruby didn't think twice as she folded back her Crescent Rose. She heard the beeping again and quickly grabbed hold of Ryuubi and Chouhi. She focused on her Aura and Semblance and threw herself out of the hallway as another energy arrow nearly hit her. Ryuubi and Chouhi screamed as Ruby sped like a red blur before landing on the ledge.

"Ruby?" Gaim gasped. "What's wrong?"

"Behind us! Someone's shooting arrows at us!" Ruby yelled.

Gaim's eyes widened and then he heard a noise as someone was jumping from pillar to pillar before it landed near them. There was a shimmer, and Armored War Devil Duke revealed himself to them.

"So it's you, Ukitsu," Gaim identified. "You know, I was wondering when you'd show up."

"I was actually looking for this place, but it looks like you led me right to it," Duke replied.

"You're not getting the Forge piece," said Gaim. "Girls, grab the piece and get out of here. I'll hold this guy off."

"Always so prepared to play the hero, aren't you Gaim?" Duke frowned.

"Not playing around now."

"_**GRAPEFRUIT ENERGY!"**_

Duke just watched, waiting for Gaim to finish.

"_**LOCK ON! MIX! JIMBER GRAPEFRUIT! HA-HA!"**_

"Arriving on Stage, Armored War God Gaim!" Gaim shouted as he charged at Duke. They immediately clashed as their Sonic Arrows connected.

"Then get off the stage!" Duke snapped as he threw Gaim to the ground. He aimed and fired his Sonic Arrow but Gaim managed to roll out of the way and fire back. Duke deflected the energy bolts with his own Sonic Arrow before he struck Gaim.

Gaim's Sonic Arrow flew out of his hand and over the ledge before it fell into the lake of lava below.

"Crap," Gaim cursed.

"As you can see, I've only gotten better since our last encounter," boasted Duke before he kicked Gaim in the chest, sending him staggering back. He then slashed Gaim across the chest, knocking him back.

Reaching down to his belt, Gaim drew his Musou Saber. While the Sonic Arrow was a cool and versatile weapon, he was a swordsman at heart.

"Let's see how much better than you claim to be," Gaim retorted as he and Duke clashed.

"Grab the piece and let's go!" Ryuubi cried.

"Alright!" Kanu reached inside and grabbed the piece of the Forge. The eyes of the dragon head altar flashed before the jaws closed. Then, the entire chamber shook.

"What's happening?" Chouhi asked as the chamber shook dangerously around them.

"Aisha, what did you do?" Chou'un asked worriedly as the shaking intensified.

The rumbling and shaking became stronger. Gaim and Duke stopped in the middle of their bout to look around them curiously.

"What's going on?" Gaim asked.

"Fools! You've awoken the guardian!" Duke snapped.

The guardian burst right out of the lava lake and its long body smashed through the pillars that bridged them from the hallway to the ledge. Ryuubi watched in horror as they just lost their only way out. Then, the guardian gazed towards them.

It looked like a gigantic whale-sized worm with light brown skin and red armored plates that covered all the way down the length of its back. It didn't have any visible eyes, but it sure felt like it was looking straight at them. It had a huge maw, filled with rows and rows of razor sharp teeth. Dripping from its mouth was molten lava.

"OK, so the guardian is a giant worm that can swim in lava. Nice," Gaim remarked sarcastically. "I knew it was too easy."

"We're underground, standing over a lake of lava and we're being attacked by a giant worm," Chou'un deadpanned. "The ones who made this place must really like their elaborate setups."

"And it also broke our way out." Chouhi pointed at the broken pillars.

Ruby looked at their exit, then at the Lava Worm, then back at Gaim who was facing Duke. She clenched her Crescent Rose tightly as she readied for battle.

Time to prove that she was a Huntress.

* * *

Back in the city, Yang, Blake, Knuckle and Ryugen were still clearing away the Grimm. However, they found themselves quickly surrounded, standing back-to-back as they faced the horde of soulless beasts.

Ryugen pulled the hammer of his Budou Ryuhou before he aimed and fired. Yang was throwing punches, blasting some Grimm with her Ember Celica. Knuckle intercepted any charging Grimm and slammed them to the ground with his Kurumi Bombers. Finally, Blake was using her Gambol Shroud to cut them down.

"Man, there's so many of them," Yang stated.

"Yes," Blake agreed.

"Don't worry." Ryugen tapped the side of his helmet. "I called for reinforcements."

A zipper portal opened up and a Sakura Hurricane sped up. Riding on the bike was an Armored War God, one that Ryugen fondly recognized.

It was his big brother, Armored War God Chulainn of the Wilds.

"You called your bro?" Knuckle asked.

"Yes," Ryugen confirmed.

Dismounting, Chulainn aimed his Sonic Arrow at the Grimm and fired rapidly. His arrows pierced the Grimm, putting them down.

"Hey, Iori!" Chulainn greeted. "You mentioned a doomsday device. Is that true?"

"Would I joke about something like that?" Ryugen returned.

"No, you wouldn't. So, when you mentioned monsters, I thought you meant the usual," Chulainn said.

"What can I say? We meet all kinds of monsters in this kind of work," Ryugen joked.

Before they could continue with their banter, the three Armored War Gods picked up a transmission on their helmet communicators. It was from Mars.

"_Can anyone read me?_ _My unit is getting their asses kicked. Don't get me wrong, I can totally handle it but I could, maybe need some support here._"

Ryugen looked at Knuckle and the two Huntresses-in-training. "You three go help Mars."

"What about you?" Knuckle asked.

Suddenly, Ranha burst out of the ground as if it were made of water. Glaring at Ryugen, she twirled her spear as she landed on her feet. She wasn't alone, however. She had brought along some Creeps with her. These bipedal, sauropods hissed and growled at them.

Ryugen narrowed his eyes at Ranha. "My brother and I can handle things here."

Knuckle nodded and ran off with Blake and Yang. Any Grimm that got in their way were slain. Ryugen and Chulainn turned to face Ranha.

"All this chaos just to find an artifact?" Ryugen asked.

"We're Rinrinshi. Chaos is just what we do." Ranha shouldered her spear. "Anyway, are we just going to stand around and talk? Or are we going to fight?"

"**KIWI!"**

"The latter!" Ryugen snapped.

"**HAI~! KIWI ARMS! GEKI, RIN, SEI-YA HA!"**

Ryugen and Chulainn both rushed at Ranha who took a stance as the Creeps around them converged. Ryugen and Ranha clashed instantly, sparks flying as their weapons collided. Chulainn fired at Ranha and she growled before she kicked Ryugen back. He was about to run at her, when a Creep jumped on his back and bit his shoulder.

"Get off me!" Ryugen angrily screamed as he tried to shake the Creep off. The other Creeps, attracted by his anger, started to dig their teeth into him.

"Iori!" Chulainn went to help him, but Ranha suddenly burst out of the ground and hit him across the chest. She turned her legs into a fish's tail and hovered in mid-air. Chulainn fired at her, but she dodged swiftly from his shots before she surged towards him and smacked him with her tail.

Back with Ryugen, the Creeps were piling on top of him. Reaching down, he hit his Cutting Blade.

"**HAI~! KIWI SQUASH!"**

He spun like a tornado, throwing off the Creeps. Then, he threw his energized Kiwi Gekirin and they sliced through the Grimm before returning his attention to Ranha and Chulainn. He needed to be precise. He needed to strike at the right time.

"Now!" Ryugen dashed forward and jumped up. He spun and slashed at Ranha, knocking her to the ground. He then threw his Kiwi Gekirin and she screamed as she was slashed by the circular wheel blades. She soon fell as the Kiwi Gekirin struck her down. Finally, Ryugen wrenched the spear free from her hands and twirled it around before he pointed it down at her throat.

Ranha hissed angrily as her own weapon was being used to hold her down.

"Move and you'll have an arrow in each eye," Chulainn warned as he aimed his Sonic Arrow at the subdued Ranha.

"Why don't you just kill me?" Ranha spat. "It's what you Armored War Gods do, isn't it? You kill my kind."

"Don't act so innocent. We have our reasons," Ryugen defended.

"And we have ours," Ranha shot back.

* * *

Back at the underground lava lake, Duke frowned at this development. He took out a talisman and using his magic to set it aflame. Thick smoke burst out of the burning talisman and separated into individual streams which gathered around Duke. They took on humanoid forms and solidified into a group of Rinrinshi but with Beowolf masks over their faces.

The Lava Worm rose up from its lava lake and growled at them.

The Beowolf Rinrinshi cupped their hands together, gathering Rinki.

"Fire!" Duke ordered.

At Duke's command, the Beowolf Rinrinshi fired beams of Rinki at the Lava Worm. However, the Lava Worm was able to shrug their attacks off due to its thick armored hide. Fed up with their attacks, the Lava Worm opened its mouth and shot out multiple tendril-like tongues that were covered in fire. Duke managed to avoid being grabbed, but his summoned Rinrinshi were caught and dragged into the Lava Worm's flaming gullet.

"OK, that's just nasty," commented Gaim.

Duke looked back at Gaim. It seemed that if he was going to survive this predicament, he would have to ally himself with his enemies.

"Gaim, how about a truce?" Duke proposed.

"You're asking us to team up with you?" Gaim questioned in disbelief.

"It's the only way we can survive this! We must work together!" Duke insisted.

Gaim considered their situation. While they did have an exit, it was across a lake of lava, and their convenient pillars were gone now. Also, a giant Lava Worm was in their way. Another Rider would be good to have, but Gaim wasn't just going to trust Duke, even in such a dire situation. However, he needed to consider the safety of his friends. Of course, he also remembered Duke was here for the piece of the Forge.

"Fine, you can help, but don't even try anything funny!" Gaim agreed reluctantly.

"I knew you'd see reason, Gaim," smiled Duke.

"Don't mention it," Gaim replied. "Seriously, don't _ever_ mention it. I can't believe I'm doing this."

The Lava Worm was blind, but that didn't mean it didn't have other senses to compensate. It scanned its surroundings and then 'saw' the Forge piece in Kanu's grasp. Growling, the Lava Worm opened its mouth and spewed a blast of molten hot lava straight at the black-haired girl.

"Aisha!" Gaim cried as he ran towards her, but he wasn't fast enough. Suddenly, a red blur grabbed Kanu and took her to a safe distance. Everyone backed away from the lava stream.

"Here." Ruby put Kanu down and then aimed her Crescent Rose. "Take this, vomit boy!" She fired repeatedly at the Lava Worm and she seemed to be hurting it, but the Lava Worm dove back down in the lava lake.

"I suggest you use your strongest form for this, Gaim," Duke recommended as he kept his guard up. "That beast may spring up at any moment and from any direction."

Gaim frowned and took out his Kachidoki Lockseed.

"**KACHIDOKI! LOCK ON! SOIYA! KACHIDOKI ARMS! IZA SHUTSUJIN! EI, EI, OH!"**

Ruby gasped as she saw Gaim's Kachidoki Arms armor for the first time. He then took out his Hinawa Dai Dai DJ Ju (DJ Gun) and held it up, ready to fire.

Ruby reined her desire to geek out over a new weapon because of how serious the situation was.

"Everyone, keep your guard up!" Gaim ordered.

The Lava Worm burst out of the lava lake with a loud roar and then slammed its long body down on the ledge. The ledge shook as the group nearly lost their balance. Ruby, Gaim and Duke all fired at the beast, but the Lava Worm positioned its body so that the firepower would hit the armored plates on its back instead. It then dragged its body sideways to slam into them before it reared its head back and spewed another stream of lava at the group. They scattered, but were losing ground as puddles of slowly cooling lava were left after its attack.

If that lava had hit any of them, they would be melted on the spot and be screaming in agony. Not a very good way to go.

Gaim raised the DJ Gun and set it to High (machine gun setting) and fired a spray of bullets at the beast. It growled as it was being peppered by bullets before it dove back into the lava lake.

"Damn! It keeps hitting and running! This will take forever!" Gaim cursed, annoyed.

"Then perhaps you should try to predict where it will attack next," Duke suggested scornfully.

"LAVA BARF!" Ruby screamed a warning as the Lava Worm blew another blast of lava out of its mouth.

Duke swiftly took out another talisman and threw it up. A shield of energy erected itself between them and the Lava Worm's lava barf. It continued to blast them before it dove back into the lava. The talisman burnt up. Fortunately, Duke still had plenty at his disposal. However, he may not have enough for this situation.

Let's just hope his temporary allies could offer something.

Everyone kept their guard up. They had no way out and there's a predator right under them that was waiting to pounce at any moment. The lava really didn't provide them much visibility as the creature had submerged itself under the surface. Plus, the heat was starting to get to them. The girls were already sweating and Gaim's armor felt like an oven with how hot it was getting underneath.

It was like being stalked by a shark and they were its prey. It was circling around them, just waiting for the right time to make its move.

Ruby maintained focus. She had trained herself to fight monsters, and this Lava Worm was just another monster. It may not be a Grimm, but she was going to beat it. Suddenly, Ruby heard the thing burst out of the lava. It then smashed right into the ledge, breaking apart a piece of it.

The piece Chouhi had been standing on.

"Chouhi!" Ruby screamed as she dashed towards Chouhi as she fell. Everyone screamed and went to help. However, Ruby was the fastest as she jumped and grabbed Chouhi. She then used her Semblance to launch herself up, jumping from descending pieces of the ledge before she landed on her feet.

"Are you OK?" Ruby asked the younger redhead.

"Yeah," gasped Chouhi, pale as a ghost. "That...that was close."

Duke frowned. The guardian, this Lava Worm, was intelligent. By breaking the ledge, it gave them a much smaller floor to stand on. Then they would be packed in, unable to fight. He would've been impressed with such strategic thinking from a beast if it wasn't trying to kill him too.

"That thing just broke off a quarter of the ledge," Gaim analyzed.

"It's trying to push us into a corner," Duke said.

The Lava Worm burst out of the lava lake again, and this time it was targeting Chou'un. It dove towards her but she dodged from its attack by jumping backwards. However, she was close to the edge and nearly stumbled.

Duke and Gaim began firing at the Lava Worm and it thrashed about from the united assault. This time Gaim was using the cannon setting of his DJ Gun. It seemed to be working as the Lava Worm recoiled with each shot. Ruby also helped as she fired Dust rounds repeatedly at it.

"Take this." Kanu passed the Forge piece to Ryuubi. She yelled as she and Chou'un jumped and stabbed it right in the face. It tried to shake the two girls off and moved to dive back into the lava lake with them. They withdrew quickly before they were dragged in, landing on the ledge.

Rising back up, the Lava Worm shot out its flaming tongues at the girls. Ruby didn't let the tongues have their chance as she sliced them to ribbons with her Semblance and Crescent Rose. The Lava Worm roared and Gaim used this chance to fire at it again. It dove back into the lava lake, to hide and wait again.

"This is getting us nowhere!" Gaim yelled in frustration. The Lava Worm kept using hit-and-run tactics, not staying in one place long enough for them to do some real damage. "We need a distraction."

Duke noticed how Ruby, Chou'un, and Kanu were gathered around Gaim. He also noticed that Ryuubi was holding the Forge piece with only Chouhi guarding her. He grinned deviously as a plan popped into his head.

He cloaked himself and vanished from sight. Gaim noticed Duke's disappearing trick and yelled, "Ukitsu!"

Chouhi yelled as she was knocked down by an invisible blow before the Forge piece was snatched out of Ryuubi's hands. Duke reappeared, holding what he came for.

"Ukitsu!" Gaim shouted. "You backstabber!"

"And you're surprised, Gaim? You must be more foolish than I thought. I came for the Forge piece, Gaim. And now I have it," Duke boasted.

"Well, you're trapped here like the rest of us," Ruby reminded.

"Not quite, little girl." Duke pulled out a talisman. "With this, I shall be off. _Xaizian_!"

"Oh, no you don't!" Ruby charged towards Duke as she clipped her Crescent Rose to her back. With both his hands full, he couldn't use his Sonic Arrow. She tackled into him and they tumbled across the ledge and towards the edge.

"Ruby!" Gaim yelled.

"Get off me, you brat!" Duke snapped as he threw Ruby over the edge.

"RUBY!" everyone screamed.

However, Ruby was holding onto the edge with one hand. Good thing her Aura was on, or else she would've let go because of the heat.

"Now, where was I?" Duke was about to activate his talisman, only to find it gone. "My talisman!? Where's my talisman!?" He then realized where it had gone and looked over the edge to see Ruby, grinning at him. She was gripping on the edge with one hand, but in her other hand was his talisman. "The talisman! Give it to me!"

Ruby stuck her tongue out at him in response. Duke growled in annoyance, but then his annoyance turned to dread as the Lava Worm rose out of the lake and faced him.

"Hey, Handsome Jim!" Ruby yelled at the Lava Beast. "Look at what he's got! Get him!"

"Shit!" Duke fumbled as he reached for his Sonic Arrow and dropped the Forge piece. Ruby used this chance to take her Crescent Rose, shift it to scythe mode, then hook it on to the ledge before she lifted herself up. She used her Semblance to pick up the Forge piece and sped away just as the Lava Worm slammed its open mouth down on Duke. He screamed as this was happening while the Lava Worm withdrew into the lava lake to finish its meal.

"Gotcha," Ruby smiled as she held the Forge piece. Her companions soon joined her as she admired the piece she had acquired.

"That was awesome, Ruby!" Chouhi cheered.

"You sure showed him," praised Chou'un.

"That was quite clever of you," Ryuubi complimented.

"Ruby, what you did was reckless and dangerous," said Gaim. Kanu elbowed him as she glared sideways at him. "But thanks to you, we got the last piece of the Forge. Well done."

"Thanks," Ruby beamed. "I wasn't sure if that was going to work."

Chou'un quipped, "Do you think Duke survived?"

"Riders have faced worse, even bad ones," Gaim added. "If we see him again, it will be too soon."

"But how will we get out of here?" Ryuubi asked as she pointed at their exit. "That thing is still in the lake and it destroyed our only way out."

Gaim smiled and held up a Tulip Hopper.

"Anyone interested in another hike through Helheim?" he asked.

* * *

Hu and Zangetsu-Shin's fight had moved from the hallway and into the throne room. The chamber was quite spacious, benefitting the both of them. Zangetsu-Shin fired at Hu who flew around the throne room, avoiding the bolts aimed at him. Zangetsu-Shin silently cursed. Hu's agility was making this fight too difficult for him.

Hu swooped down and snatched Zangetsu-Shin up with his talons. Zangetsu-Shin struggled as he tried to break free, but Hu's grip was quite strong. Taking Zangetsu-Shin up towards the ceiling, Hu smashed the White Devil against the ceiling. He then flew towards the wall and dragged Zangetsu-Shin's body along, the friction causing damage as sparks ripped from Zangetsu-Shin's armor. Flying around again, Hu tossed Zangetsu-Shin right at the throne, the force of the impact destroying it.

Zangetsu-Shin groaned as he picked himself up. He glanced at the now destroyed throne before turning his gaze towards Hu. Hu swooped in as Zangetsu-Shin dove to the side. The Owl Rinrinshi started to slash with his talons and Zangetsu-Shin used his Sonic Arrow to parry. One slash across the face stunned him and Hu followed up with a kick that knocked Zangetsu-Shin to the floor.

As Hu was about to continue, he sensed something.

"Ukitsu..." Hu whispered. It felt like his ally was in danger and needed his assistance. It felt urgent, like a serious emergency. He addressed Zangetsu-Shin darkly, "It appears that the conclusion of our duel will be delayed."

Zangetsu-Shin wasn't about to let Hu get away and rushed at him with his Sonic Arrow. The blade slashed but missed its target as Hu just vanished. Zangetsu-Shin paused, panting. He scanned his surroundings to confirm his opponent had retreated. When he did, Zangetsu-Shin cursed loudly.

"Kuso!"

Calming himself down, Zangetsu-Shin took a deep breath. He then decided to go and check up on the others.

* * *

Meanwhile, it was still pretty chaotic in the city as the battle against the Grimm was still fiercely ongoing. Fortunately for Go's forces, backup came in the nick of time. Yang, Blake and Knuckle had come to back them up. But it still wasn't enough. Well, it was a good thing Go's army had a few more tricks up its sleeve.

"Additional reinforcements have arrived!" a soldier called out.

"Perfect." Mars, hearing this rubbed his hands together, was cackling like a stereotypical dastardly villain. "They're in for it now!"

"Is it really that good?" Yang wondered. Additional reinforcements would be good about now, but could it really turn the tide?

Blake noticed far beyond the horizon.

"Look there," she pointed.

Everyone turned to what the Faunus girl was pointing at.

Beyond the horizon, everyone could see a fleet of flying machines heading towards them. A large number of Dandeliners were present along with flight capable Elementary Inves. In the middle of the fleet, an Evolved Seiryuu Inves soared, ridden by what appeared to be a young teenage girl.

It was Penny Polendina, Ruby's new friend.

Her eyes narrowed with focus and determination. With her targets in sight, Penny unleashed her divine might on them. From out of her backpack, her swords came out, fanning out behind her as she manipulated them. She then aimed them forward, the blades rotating, faster and faster, as a sphere of green light filled up the space in front of her.

She punched her fists forward and sent out a high-powered laser which tore through a Nevermore and it shrieked before it fell into the river with a splash. The Grimm, witnessing this, roared in defiance. However, they were targeted next as a huge blast of fire from the Seiryuu Inves sent them scattering and on fire.

"Good boy," Penny said to her Evolved Seiryuu Inves. Entering the city, Penny focused her swords on multiple targets. They shot like javelins and pierced through the Grimm's weak points. Her draconic steed aided her as it continued to spit fireballs down on the Grimm below.

The Elementary Inves descended and began their attack. They swarmed the much larger Grimm together, killing them with their claws before moving on to the next prey. The Dandeliners also fired upon the Grimm that were smart enough to flee from a larger predator, but they didn't get far as the lasers struck them down.

In an alleyway, a homeless old man was being threatened by a Grimm, but it died moments later thanks to the Inves. The old homeless man was relieved but he picked up his broom and began whacking the dead Grimm on the head.

Penny sent her swords to skewer the Beowolves standing close to Kagemusha. They all died until only one of them was left. As the swords came down on him, he deflected them with his Sonic Arrow and cursed.

"How is this even possible!?" Kagemusha demanded. The swords came back to strike but he managed to dodge them. He looked up at the Seiryuu Inves and his visor glowed as he zoomed in on the teenage girl riding on it. "_Damn_ _her..._" he growled.

"Excuse me." Kagemusha felt a tap on his shoulder. Reluctantly, he turned around and received a Kurumi Bomber to the face.

"Damn, that hurts!" Kagemusha cussed. He glared at Knuckle who glared right back.

"Come on! Let's do this!" Knuckle challenged.

"So, you're eager to die then?" Kagemusha brandished his Sonic Arrow. "Bring it!"

The two fighters yelled as they lunged at each other and clashed.

"What are you people waiting for, an invitation? Move out!" Mars rallied his men who yelled and charged back into the fray.

Penny soared through the skies. The Inves she rode on flew with the grace of a dancer. Almost like ballet in the skies. The two worked in sync, only as long as she didn't lose the Lockseed. She had to keep it on her and not drop it. Otherwise, whatever control she had on it would be lost.

As they chased after a trio of Nevermores of various sizes, Penny sniped them right out of the air with her swords. Two of them were hit right in their wings, causing them to plummet and crash either in the rubble or the ground below. The third Nevermore tried to get away but the Seiryuu Inves grabbed it with its jaws and crushed it between its teeth.

Penny's swords cut down any nearby aerial threats. After performing a one loop-de-loop, the Seiryuu Inves exhaled a ball of flames, blasting an Ursa to bits.

In the span of a few minutes, Penny had killed over a dozen Grimm. It was an impressive feat and what she was designed for. The soldiers below cheered at her and she smiled. Even the Inves seemed to cheer for her.

"THIS IS SENSATIONAL!" Penny shouted at the top of her...whatever qualified as her lungs. The Seiryuu Inves roared in agreement.

Yang was slack-jawed at the sight. She had to admit that it was an awesome sight to behold.

"Wow, she's one hell of a pilot," she observed.

A Helheim portal opened and a Tulip Hopper stepped out of the portal. Yang saw Ruby dash out with Kanu, Chouhi, Chou'un and Ryuubi. She also saw Gaim jump off the Tulip Hopper and he was decked in a pretty impressive suit of armor.

"So, what happened?" Yang asked.

"We got it," Ruby beamed.

Gaim scanned the battlefield and spotted Knuckle fighting with Kagemusha. He also saw a kunoichi with black hair aiding him. She looked frighteningly familiar to him. Still, his focus was on Kagemusha.

Kagemusha and Knuckle fought violently. While Knuckle's Kurumi Lockseed was nowhere near the same class as Kagemusha's Grapefruit Energy Lockseed, he could still hold his own against much stronger opponents. Kagemusha's annoyance actually came from Blake who was aiding his opponent.

Using her Gambol Shroud and her Semblance, Blake was able to assist Knuckle. Her various elemental Dust rounds also provided her with an edge in the battle. Using her Semblance and a fire Dust round, she sent a flaming Shadow Clone that struck Kagemusha and exploded.

Stunned, Kagemusha received a punch in the chest. Knuckle followed up with a combo of punches before he sent him flying with an uppercut. Kagemusha grunted as he picked himself up. He aimed his Sonic Arrow and fired at Blake. She dodged using her Semblance then threw her Gambol Shroud. The blade of the Gambol Shroud, now in kusarigama mode, hooked around the Sonic Arrow and she pulled with her ribbon, tearing the weapon out of Kagemusha's grip.

"**KURUMI SQUASH!"**

"Hyah!" Knuckle punched Kagemusha hard in the chest and sent him staggering.

"Damn you!" Kagemusha stepped forward, but was barred by Gaim who had his DJ Gun aimed at him.

"Not so fast," warned Gaim. The others gathered around Kagemusha and the Armored War Devil was soon surrounded with multiple weapons pointed at him.

He bit back a curse. Surrender was the only option he had.

Of course, that didn't mean Kagemusha had to accept that. Suddenly, a shadow emerged behind Kagemusha and wrapped around him.

"Stop him!" Gaim shouted, but they were too late as the shadow vanished with Kagemusha.

* * *

Ranha glared at both Ryugen and Chulainn. One wrong move from her, and they could just end her.

"It looks like your plans have failed," Ryugen mocked his opponent.

"You sure about that?" Ranha retorted mockingly. She didn't seem fazed at all in her current position, which caused him to be wary.

Suddenly, Ranha's own shadow expanded and became almost fluid as she sank inside. Ryugen and Chulainn were too stunned to stop it before she just vanished right in the ground as the shadow just sucked her in.

"She got away," Chulainn remarked.

"Damn," Ryugen growled in frustration. He hated it when the opponent pulled a stunt like that and escaped justice. Sympathetically, Chulainn patted his brother on the shoulder to comfort him. "We had her, Onii-san."

"Hey, there's always next time," consoled Chulainn.

"Right..." Ryugen calmed down. Next time he would just finish her off and not even give her a chance to get away. He scanned his surroundings in case they were anymore threats to deal with and spotted the Nevermores flying away.

Ryugen called Gaim on his helmet-com, "Gaim, this is Ryugen."

"_Go ahead, Iori," _Gaim replied.

"The Grimm seems to be retreating. Does that mean we won?" Ryugen inquired.

"_We did. We got another piece of the Forge._"

Hearing this filled Ryugen with relief. They had come here to stop their enemies from obtaining another piece of the Forge and they did it.

* * *

With the Grimm finally retreating, Penny landed her Evolved Seiryuu Inves and sent it back to Helheim.

"Thank you!" she called out to the Evolved Inves as it vanished into the portal. Humming and feeling proud of herself, Penny went to rejoin the others to calm down after such a huge battle.

Then she heard a gasp, a very familiar gasp.

"PENNY!" Ruby yelled, overjoyed as she saw her new friend.

"RUBY, MY FRIEND!" Penny glomped her, pulling her into a tight hug as they fell to the ground. Ruby let out a grunt and a groan.

"Penny...you're heavy...crushing me..." Ruby let out.

"Oh, my apologies," Penny said as she got up and helped Ruby stand. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, but seriously, Penny, you are heavy," said Ruby. "It's like you weighed a ton."

"Oh, it's just muscle mass," Penny answered before she gave a hiccup afterwards.

"So, Penny. You've been here the whole time?" Ruby asked.

"Yes, and I made quite a few friends like Mr. Kamuro here," Penny referred to the Silver Apple Rider.

"It's a pretty long story, but I think we all should convene in the throne room," said Kamuro. "Sempai is calling us all for a meeting."

* * *

The Son Clan and the Shoku Warriors were all gathered in the throne room. Sonsaku looked slightly put out because her throne had been destroyed.

"Masataka-kun, what happened to my throne?" Sonsaku asked.

"My apologies, Sonsaku-sama, but it was destroyed during my battle with the Rinrinshi," Masataka apologized. He wasn't going to say that Hu had used him as a projectile to do it, though. It would be far too embarrassing.

"I guess that's a small price to pay for victory," Sonsaku sighed.

"Don't worry, Sheren. We can always take out a new throne from storage," said Shuyu.

"You guys store extra thrones?" Nagata asked.

"You'd be surprised how often the throne gets destroyed during an enemy attack," Masataka remarked. He looked over at the item Nagata was holding. "So, is that what they came for?"

"Yes, a piece of the Forge of the Underworld," said Nagata.

"So, they might have other pieces then," Masataka concluded.

"Yeah, but we stopped them from getting two of them," replied Nagata.

"Wait, so this whole attack was for this tiny thing?" Haru asked in disbelief.

"It's a piece for a doomsday weapon," Iori informed the boxer.

"Oh..." Haru whistled. "Man, that's heavy."

Nagata watched the reunion of Yang, Ruby and Blake. Ruby was telling them about how they found the last piece and what happened down there.

"And so I snatched it right out of his hands before the Lava Worm ate him!" Ruby finished.

"I'm just so glad you made it," Yang said, relieved.

"Now we just need to find Weiss and get the team back together," Ruby grinned.

Hearing Weiss' name, Blake wasn't sure about how she felt about her missing teammate. But her musings were interrupted as a bird flew in and let out a cry.

"KAW!"

The bird swooped into the throne room, through the doors, and landed upon the remains of the throne. Everyone but Natsu tensed up.

"Why is everyone freaking out?" Natsu scoffed. "It's just a bird."

"A bird that's _black and white_," Fuyu said as he knew better. He had a feeling that this was no normal bird.

"It's a Nevermore," Blake identified. "But a small one."

The tiny Nevermore tilted its head to the side. Its eyes glowed before it shot out what appeared to be a full-body projection. The projection was that of an enemy that Nagata and RBY had seen before.

"You!" Nagata yelled.

"_So, these are the nuisances that have been hindering my plans,"_ Wendigo scoffed.

"What do you want?" Iori asked.

"_I have only a simple request_," Wendigo replied. "_Hand over the two pieces of the Forge of the Underworld that are in your possession._" It was an order, not a request.

"Is he serious?" Yang asked, rolling her eyes.

"No deal," Nagata denied.

"_Oh, really? You may want to reconsider_," Wendigo replied smoothly.

"What will happen if we don't comply?" Nagata challenged.

Wendigo smirked and his image was replaced by an image of both Weiss and Mitsuki, tied up and gagged.

"Weiss!" Ruby yelled.

"Akechi!" Nagata added.

* * *

**Hunt of the Armored War Gods Bios:**

**Blake Kurogami (AU counterpart of Blake Belladonna from **_**RWBY**_**):** Blake was the stoic and calm member of Ruby Oda's posse. While she may not express emotion much, she is loyal and kind to those closest. She displays incredible acrobatic abilities leading many to think she might be a ninja which she denies many times. In addition to the skills above, she is also in depth in pharmacy and pressure points due to having a mad scientist as a father. Blake also has a good relationship with her pacifist uncle as well. After her marriage, she gave birth to twins, one son who was down to earth and loves science and one daughter who loves to rock out and party all day long.

* * *

**GKoh:** This chapter has a thrilling all-out war, damn comebacks and an intense cliffhanger to make it so epic and awesome that it'll make the readers' blood boiled with excitement. What will our heroes do now? Stay tune. Look down below. You'll have one deleted scene and a trailer.

* * *

**Deleted Scene: Penny's Tale**

"Ah, isn't this great?" grinned Natsu as he entered the royal bath with Fuyu.

"We really should consider our position as a blessing," agreed Fuyu.

"Damn right!" approved Natsu. Both twins were only in their towels covering them from the waist down to their knees. Natsu's towel was red with gold trim while Fuyu's towel was blue with silver trim. "A nice warm soak is all I need right now."

Earlier, the twins had practiced with their performance troupe. It was a rehearsal for another play they were going to perform. Then there was practice for a new acrobatics routing. The twins did their part, pulled their weight, and made sure everything was running smoothly like a well-oiled machine.

The two were about to enter the water when they saw someone in there. It was a girl and she was lying face down in the water. The twins froze but Natsu recovered quickly.

"Fuyu, come on!"

"Ah, right!" Fuyu recovered a moment later to help his brother. They both pulled the person out of the water. It was a girl with curly orange hair and a pink bow. Her clothing was odd, consisting of a shirt with feminine overalls. She also had black and green collar with matching stockings.

"Man, she weighs a ton!" Natsu struggled as the brothers laid her down on the floor. Fuyu went to check her pulse and frowned grimly.

"We're too late," Fuyu sighed. The girl, whoever she was, had drown. She had probably been lying face down in the water for a while now. Though, who was she and how had she entered the palace.

Suddenly, the girl's eyes snapped open and she greeted, "SALUTATIONS!" The two brothers jumped to their feet in shock. Wasn't she dead?

"Ah...ah..." sputtered Fuyu in shock.

"You're alive," Natsu stated.

"It appears so," the girl agreed, as if nothing was wrong. Here she was, lying on a bathroom floor, soaked to the bone, in the presence of two boys who were wearing nothing but towels.

"Who are you?" the Fuma Twins asked together.

"Hello, I'm Penny. What are your names?"

* * *

**GKoh:** A fun scene courtesy from my friend, Kamen Rider Chrome. This ain't over yet. There's more and be warned: **Your mind will be blown away into space!**

* * *

**Next Year**

In a barren wasteland, a battle was taking place. Explosions raged on and hundreds of corpses littered the field. At one side of the conflict, the soldiers there had their heads down as they were in despair. Many of their comrades were slain and their enemy has penetrated their defenses and proceeded to destroy what remains of them. They lost the will to fight and stayed in their hiding spot to wait the inevitable. Suddenly, a loud boom was heard. The soldiers lifted their heads to know what was happening. What they saw was awe inspiring and life returned to their faces. Soaring through the skies was a jet whose color was black and styled after a might condor.

_**We are Hope**_

Oppression was at large in these streets. An elderly man was harassed by mobsters. The elderly man was weak in his predicament and his tormentors brought weapons to finish him off. However, his suffering would end now when two women came to his aid. One of them nursed him while the other woman defended them. The latter wore an extraordinary pink suit that looked alien in nature. When the mobsters opened fire, the woman in the pink suit unleashed a force field and protected herself and those she protected.

_**We are Honor**_

At another location, a young man clad in green and wheels was beaten down by a powerful, monstrous brute. Despite the wounds inflicted upon on him and even though we could not see his face, the man remained determined as he forced himself to get up as he picked up his big axe. Once he did, the man in green roared as he charged right back into battle.

_**We are Courage**_

In a city, far, far, away, crime was rampant. All over the streets, vile thugs ransacked stores or apartments forcing poor citizens out of their homes. An explosion occurred at a nearby bank and robbers ran out of the now burned building, carrying sacks of their stolen cash. They might have gotten away with it too if it weren't for a meddling silver swordsman who observed all this from a building. Growled in disgust, he unsheathed his blade and leapt off the building he stood. The robbers finally noticed what was happening and before the crooks could point their weapons at the swordsman, with just one slash, the swordsman knocked them all down.

_**We are Justice**_

A young boy and his little sister were trapped under some rubble after a devastating incident that has occurred not long ago. Suddenly, the rubble began to shift. The rubble disappeared one by one until the children saw a light and alongside it was a giant mechanical sabretooth cat and a woman clad in yellow bearing the same appearance as the former. The woman then reached out to the children who in response took her hand.

_**We are Compassion**_

A man in blue, out of his time flew above the city below using his flying machine. He did this while dodging a barrage of missiles that were going to hit him. He successfully dodged them and pulled out a giant high tech weapon to pay back his attacker.

_**We are Determination**_

In a land that is majestic, animals of every shape and size lived there and in peace. Deer, elephant and zebra grazed upon the lands, schools of fishes race through the river nearby, monkeys playing around the trees and a flock of birds flew to places unknown. All the while, a young lady wearing clothing that had an image of the noble white tiger watched this and stood vigil.

_**We are Harmony**_

Time has passed and an eventful day has occurred. Rockets were sent into space carrying the hopes and dreams of a race with lots of potential. As the rockets ascended higher and higher into the atmosphere, they left a trail behind. Alone they didn't mean much but together they looked curiously like a rainbow. Unbeknownst to these travelers, a man was witnessing this incredible event. He wore a suit that was all red. The man in red was proud. Proud of how far we have achieved. However he knew the journey has just begun and while there may be dangers ahead, he remained hopeful as he knew the future was there and he will marched on to achieve it. What's making this even brighter: He wasn't alone.

_**We are Super Sentai**_

All around him, there were others like him who all bears the marks of the greatest fighting force that ever existed.

* * *

**GKoh:** This one sounds like a good idea, huh? Want or won't? Your choice.


End file.
